


Phil

by Julia_child_1980



Series: The Rebecca Wills Cronicles [1]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Age Difference, Angry Sex, Asgard, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Kidnapping, Major Illness, Orgasm Delay/Denial, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-17
Updated: 2016-03-19
Packaged: 2018-05-21 06:46:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 43
Words: 47,854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6042061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Julia_child_1980/pseuds/Julia_child_1980
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rebecca is tired of being set up by her best friend Pepper, but meets a nice guy at a charity event. His name is Phil.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Christmas Eve

**Author's Note:**

> I have taken some liberties with this story.  
> 1\. The avengers know Phil Coulson is alive and well.  
> 2\. Shield is still a large international organization.  
> 3\. Phil doesnt live on the playground, but has a nice apartment on the upper east side. The playground is somewhere in underground NYC.
> 
> This first chapter is not explicit. Later chapters will be.

Chapter 1.  
December 24th 2015  
Stark Industries, R&D department, Rebecca’s office. 3PM  
“No Pepper, no more setups.” Rebecca was adamant. “I don´t like Tony’s Playboy friends, I don’t like any of the men from finance, they all think they are worth way more than they are. And no, no setup with a certain avenger you have been talking a lot about recently. Steve Rogers is not my type, way to goody-two-shoes for me.” Rebecca was a striking, tall, strawberry blonde woman, she wore a vintage dress with a seventies pattern and four inch Louboutins. The dress showed all her curves, which were all very proportionate. She was sitting behind her desk at her office in the R&D department. Pepper was sitting on an edge of the desk, flirtatious as she could be. Her office held her desk, one chair behind it, two on the opposite side. There were some filing cabinets behind her, a comfortable reading chair and a conference table with four chairs. The windows of the office had an amazing view as it was located on the 50th story of the north building of the Stark Tower complex.  
“I must apologize in advance, then. You will sit next to the only other person who doesn’t bring a plus one tonight.” Pepper watched Rebecca’s face turn mad. “Anyway, I don’t think you will like him, he is quite a bit older than you are and married to his work.”  
“Not some bolding fifty something with a red convertible, please.” “Well he is exactly that. But at least you know he is not a set up, in the traditional sense. You are just both table fillers.” Pepper cocked her head and smiled at her best friend. Pepper only wanted her to be happy, so she and Tony had been setting her up with a string of men over the last year, ever since her fiancé broke up with her for his secretary. There was only one man she had gone out with more than once, but he couldn’t cope with her power and ambition, just like her ex-fiancé couldn’t cope with it.  
“Don’t worry about it, I’ll be polite and make sure I make an extra generous donation to the charity. I’m actually going home early today so I can change. But I can’t stay long, I have a morning Skype session with first my mom and then my whole family.” Rebecca, who was Dutch, usually flew back to the Netherlands for Christmas, but couldn’t this year because she had to work. That meant, her family would start their Christmas dinner around noon EST, and her mom would call her around 11 am.  
“I am so sorry you couldn’t fly out this year, what do you say if I give you an extra week of paid leave so you can visit in April, your fathers birthday is in April right? I’ll call HR straight away, god knows you made enough overtime in the last year.” Rebecca just smiled at her friend. She knew the chances of being able to get some free time in April were slim, but she appreciated the gesture.  
“I will see you tonight around 7, Pepper. And remember no more setups.” “No more setups, sweetie.” Pepper left Rebecca’s office thinking: just one more, if this doesn’t work I’ll quit. 

Stark Tower, bar area. Around 7 PM  
The bar area of Stark tower was dressed very elegantly. About 30 tables were dressed with white linen and beautiful place settings. There were beautiful white flowers on each table. It was the setting of Tony and Pepper´s Yearly Christmas charity Gala for the Maria Stark charity fund. The tickets for this yearly event were quite pricey, and a voluntary donation was encouraged.  
Phil Coulson had come to Tony and Pepper Christmas charity gala reluctantly. He hated his tuxedo, he preferred his everyday suits, and had had real trouble tying his bow-tie. Also he still had work to do and going tonight meant he would have to work tomorrow. He had planned to spend Christmas Day with a bottle (or two) of merlot, wallowing in his grief over Rosalind. But he also understood the importance of networking and everyone who was anyone in his field would be at this gala. So he told himself he was going to stay for the dinner, after that he would excuse himself with his hosts and make himself scarce.  
Phil sat down at the appointed table and saw there was one seat left unoccupied. Tony had promised him a very interesting person next to him, but the only other people at the table were two couples, having a double date. At that moment he saw Pepper walking in the room. She was talking to a beautiful woman in a long, green vintage lace dress. She had long strawberry blonde, wavy hair. Her dress hugged her figure at all the right places. They came his way. Phil thought: Oh my god. Tony got me a very expensive escort, I can’t believe it. Very interesting, sure Tony. As they arrived at the table, Phil stood up and kissed Pepper on both cheeks.  
“Phil, may I introduce you, Rebecca Wills, our VP of R&D, Rebecca, this is..” Phils eyes grew a little bigger in surprise. This woman couldn’t be over 30 and she already was one of the most powerful people at Stark Industries. It definitely peeked his interest.  
“Director Coulson, yes I know who you are.”  
“Please call me Phil.” He held the chair for her and noticed that her back was largely bare in the green dress. Also he noticed she was tall, with her four inch heels she was taller than him, but he guessed that without them she wouldn’t be much shorter than him.  
“Have a nice evening guys. I have to leave now.”Pepper walked toward another table and sat down next to Tony.  
“Please, let this work.” Tony whispered in Pepper’s ear.  
“I hope so, because she does not want to be set up with our next choice.”  
“I can imagine, she would never get laid with Steve, not until they’re married anyway.”  
“Well let’s hope she can take Phil’s mind of Rosalind and he can give her whatever it is what she needs, he sure isn’t afraid of powerful women, so that’s a plus.”  
*  
“Very impressive job title for someone in their late twenties.” Phil said to Rebecca.  
“You flatter me Director, I am 35.”  
“Please call me Phil, still very impressive for your age.”  
“Phil, can I ask you a question, now that were talking? Can I see your hand? Some of the technology is ours and it’s been a bit of a pet project of mine.” Phil showed her his prostatic hand. “So you can feel pressure I take it? How about temperature?”  
“Temperature is going better and better, texture is still a bit hard.”  
They started talking and before they knew it, desert had arrived. The food had been great, but Phil had enjoyed the company more. When he leaned in to talk to her he could smell her perfume, it smelled expensive, like jasmine and something he couldn’t exactly place, soapy, but not exactly that. There had been some speeches in between their conversation, and they both wrote a cheque for their ´voluntary´ donation.  
“So where are you from exactly, I can hear you are not American, you are not British either, even though sometimes you sound a bit like it.”  
“We were taught the Queens English at school, you have that right.” Rebecca smiled, she wondered if he could figure it out.  
“I would say Scandinavian, or maybe German, although, Germans tend to have a thicker accent.” Phil was enjoying the puzzle, he regarded women as puzzles, some were more rewarding to solve than others, and this one was quite promising.  
“You’re getting close, I am Dutch.”  
“So, why aren’t you flying out for the holidays?”  
“Well, guess what, I have to work.”  
“Would you like to join me for one more glass of champagne on the balcony?” Phil asked Rebecca, after the waiters had cleared the tabe, not willing to let the night end yet.  
“Sure.” Phil grabbed a bottle of champagne from the bar, Rebecca grabbed two glasses and they found a nice seat on the heated balcony.  
They talked about her work and about his work and they both enjoyed not having to say: ITS CLASSIFIED, all the time. Soon they found the bottle empty and it was 1.30am.  
“I really have to go, my mother will be on the phone by eleven.” Phil suddenly felt like he met a modern age Cinderella.  
“Are you planning on coming to the New year’s Party next week?” Phil asked, not wanting to stop talking to her.  
“Yes, I even got myself a room in the guest wing.”  
“Are you getting home okay?”  
“Sure, Tony arranged for some town cars for us, so we don’t have to take a taxi. Do you want to walk me to the parking garage?”  
“I would like that.” They took the lift to the parking garage, where a couple of drivers were chatting and playing cards.  
“Miss Wills, can I drive you home?” One of the drivers, an Indian man, got up and walked towards them.  
“That would be great, Abhi.” She turned towards Phil and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you for a wonderful evening, I will see you next week.”  
She got into the car, took out her mobile and texted Pepper  
[Are you sure this wasn’t another setup in the traditional sense?]  
After a couple of minutes she got a reply.  
[Yes, but did you have fun? Seems like you really hit it off]  
[I did have a good time]  
Rebecca send one straight after:  
[You see, you don’t have to set me up ;)].  
At Tony’s place Pepper showed the texts to Tony. “Do you think he went home with her?” But at that time he saw Phil coming up to say goodbye to his hosts. “Apparently not.”


	2. Christmas day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phil can't help but think of Rebecca and has her checked out. Rebecca discusses Phil with her friends.

Chapter two  
December 25th.  
Rebecca’s apartment. 11 am  
Rebecca came home around 2 am that morning, got into bed after drinking a glass of water and set her alarm for 10 am so she could have a shower and some coffee before her mother would call her for a video chat. She got up around 10.30 and after the shower and coffee she was feeling a little less hung-over.  
Rebecca had a one bedroom apartment with an open plan kitchen. There was a desk by the window, but Rebecca sat down on the couch with her laptop on her lap, she opened Skype and waited for her mother to call.  
“Hi sweetheart, oh, you look really bad, are you feeling okay?” her mother was always worried about her wellbeing.  
“It got a bit late yesterday, only got in around two.”  
“Glad to hear you enjoyed yourself. So did you meet somebody?” It was the same question her mother would ask every week during their video chat.  
“I don’t know mom.”  
“What do you mean, you don’t know? Either you meet someone or not.”  
“Well I was seated next to a really nice gentleman during the gala, but...”  
Her mother interjected: “But you scared him away with the big job title and the high security clearance.” Rebecca was feeling a little insulted, but it was true, men tended to shy away from her because of it.  
“No mom, he has an even more impressive job title and a higher security clearance than I have. He is just quite a bit older and I’m not sure if he is available.”  
“He’s married?”  
“No he’s single, but he might be married to his job.”  
“Well, keep me informed.”  
Rebecca smiled “I won’t mom.” Rebecca’s mom smiled too. Her mother looked the other way.  
“Oh Jonathan and Abigail have just arrived.” Her youngest brother and his wife were always the first to be there at events like this, as they didn’t have kids yet, and they wanted to talk to Rebecca alone.  
“Hey Becca, so sorry you can’t be here.” Her youngest brother sat down behind her mother´s laptop. He was a huge blond man, almost 6ft6. He looked great in his best Christmas suit.  
“I hope I can be there in April for dad’s birthday.”  
“Nice! So how was Tony Starks Christmas charity event, I’m so jealous, I hear he throws the best parties.”  
“I had a wonderful time, got home at two this morning and I might have stayed longer if I didn’t have plans to meet you people right now.”  
“So you flirted with any of the avengers? Like Captain America?” Her brother was a huge Captain America fan and not so secretly hoped that he would someday become his brother in law.  
“Sorry but Captain America is really stuck in the 40’s, to be honest, he is quite boring. No boring isn’t the right word, he is very goody two shoes.” She hoped she digressed the conversation enough for people not to ask her about any other men, because in her current hung-over state, it would be really hard for her to lie to her family.  
“Any other men then?” Abigail asked, being the smart and intuitive woman she was. Abigail was a beautiful, tall, blonde woman. She used to do pageants and the beauty and elegance still showed.  
“She doesn’t know.” Her mother yelled from the kitchen. “She met a nice gentleman, but is not sure he is age appropriate and whether he is available.”  
“Mom, I don’t want to talk about it.” Rebecca could feel herself blush.  
“Are you going to see him again?” Abigail asked, taking the laptop so she could see the screen better.  
“We will both be at Tony’s New Year’s Party, along with about 200 other people.”  
“Is there any chance you can get me an invite for that? Maybe as your plus one? I want to meet the avengers.” Her brother always tried to get invites to the Starks parties.  
“No I can’t get you an invite.”  
They talked a while longer, discussing her work, and when her other brothers came, they discussed the kids and when the family sat down to eat, she ate some lunch too. Around 3 pm she told them it was time for her to get ready for her plans with her friends. 

Phil Coulsons apartment 3 pm  
Phils apartment was a large three bedroom apartment on the upper east side. He would never have been able to afford it, but it was owned by shield and one of the perks of being its director. One of the bedrooms had been converted to an office, so he could work at home if he wanted to.  
Phil had finished working and was ready to open a bottle of merlot and wallow. But every time he tried thinking about Rosalind, to grief over her, his mind drifted to Rebecca. Her green eyes. Her strawberry blond hair, the green lace of her dress, the way she had held his prostatic hand with scientific interest and gentle care at the same time. But he really wasn’t sure if she had just been polite about being seated next to her or if she was really interested. He decided to call the office. A Turkish woman named Yasmine answered the phone. They tried to give the western personnel Christmas off, and there were always people from other parts of the world who didn’t mind working.  
“Its director Coulson, can you send me the file on Rebecca Wills, VP of Research and Development for Stark Industries and I need you to run a extensive background check on her, family, friends, exes, known acquaintances, they all need to be checked.”  
“Yes sir, any specific reason?”  
“I’m sorry Yasmine, it’s classified.” He couldn’t tell the poor girl that he needed to know everything about this woman because he liked her and he wanted to be sure she wasn’t a HYDRA-agent. He felt like she was just a little bit too good to be true.  
After five minutes the file arrived in his secure e-mail. He started reading. Everything she told him appeared to be true. Started University at 17, graduated with honours at 21. She studied business at the best University on this field in the Netherlands. She got into a prestigious traineeship, but was recruited by Tony within a year of that, so she came to New York at 22 in the summer of 2003.  
Her father was a retired History Professor, her mother a home maker. She had 3 brothers.  
Daniel was a doctor, married to a lawyer. Two kids.  
Jakob was a teacher, married to a health care professional. Tree kids  
Jonathan was a sales executive, married to a communications professional. No kids.  
Next were her friends. He knew Pepper of course. Besides that she had a couple of friends here in New York, not much of interest there.  
Exes: a string of much older men, before she had met her ex-fiance, at age 25. They had been engaged for four years before he broke it of about a year ago, the guy was already married to his secretary.  
There seemed to be no dirt on her. Her family, friends and exes were clean. She didn’t even have unpaid parking tickets. There had been some late fees for library books, but who could blame her.  
After he had read the file he called the office, asking if anything had popped up on the background check.  
“Nothing,” Yasmine told him, “clean as a whistle. The people around her too. Just one thing. An ex, worked for a subsidiary of a daughter company of a known Hydra cover 10 years ago. But they haven’t had any contact for over 12 years, around the time she left for New York. So I doubt that would be a problem. There is no evidence at all that miss Wills is a Hydra agent, or being controlled by a Hydra agent. That’s good with her high security clearance.”  
“Thanks Yasmine, have a nice day.”  
“You too sir.”  
Phil sat down. Okay, so this woman was not Hydra. He felt relieved. How could she be? It was a coincidence that they were the only two people without a plus one at the gala. If either of them would have had a date, or if Pepper had put them at different tables, they never would have met. It was around 6 pm, so he ordered a Pizza and poured another glass of wine. He closed his eyes and smiled. 

Le Bernardin Restaurant 8 PM  
Rebecca sat with her two friends Mary and Carolyn at Le Bernardin Restaurant. They ate the special Christmas menu with accompanying wines. Mary was a petite Jewish woman, desperate to find a husband, preferable Jewish to please her parents, although her physical preference went out more to the Scandinavian type. Carolyn was a busty blonde, who had a string of lovers, both male and female. They were talking about Mary´s latest steps finding a husband, lately she had gone to mixers of her synagogue. The food was great, it was everything you would expect from the acclaimed restaurant.  
Out of nothing, between the first and second course, her friend Mary asked: “So did you talk to Thor yesterday, he is soooooo dreamy.”  
“And he is also completely devoted to his girlfriend, Mary.” Rebecca told her friend. “I like him, he is everything you would imagine with a Norse God, but we don’t really hang around socially.”  
“I would love to be invited to one of Starks Parties.” Her friend Carolyn told her, “Any chance I could come as your plus one for the New Year’s Party?”  
“You are the second one to ask me that today. No I can’t.” Maybe she could have asked Pepper to bring a plus one, but she kind of wanted to talk to Phil that night. Suddenly she blushed. Both of her friends could clearly see.  
“Did you meet someone Rebecca? I’d know that blush everywhere.” Carolyn teased her.  
“I don’t know to be honest. I had a really nice chat with a very interesting gentleman, but he is quite a bit older than I am and I think he is married to the job.” Rebecca felt her cheeks reddening even more. Was she really going to discuss this with her friends? He might have been just polite.  
“Ooh, what’s his name? What does he do? How old is he?” Mary asked.  
“Well he is a bit of a public figure, so I’m not going to tell you his name or his job. He is 51 though.” Mary seemed disappointed by her answer. She was the kind of woman to google every date she or her friends had, up to the point of cyber stalking.  
“Well 16 years might have been a lot when you were 22 or 25, but I think at 35 its quite acceptable. I´ve been with men that were older than 16 years my senior, I´ve also been with men that were 15 years my junior.” Carolyn divulged. “What did you guys talk about, how long did this little chat last.”  
“We talked all night, during dinner and after.”  
“Well then he must be interesting, but is he also cute?” Mary asked.  
“I think he is, he is also quite fit for a 51 year old.”  
“I still can’t get over the fact that you talked to a man all night long, you usually don’t find men very interesting after about an hour. Or they find you too ambitious and they shy away from your job title. So how did you guys meet, another of Peppers setups?” Her friends knew all about Peppers setups, Rebecca had spoken at length about all the dates she had.  
“No it wasn’t this time, we were seated next to each other at the gala.”  
“Sounds like it could be a setup. Did he go home with you?” Carolyn was a bit of a slut and was always interested in other peoples love-life.  
“NO! Of course not. He walked me to the parking garage, made sure I got into one of the town cars safe and that was that. I didn’t ask and he didn’t either.”  
“So are you going to see him again?” Mary wanted to know.  
“We will both be at Tony’s New Year’s Party, together with another 200 people. I hope to see him there.”  
“That’s the reason I can’t come as your plus one, you have plans to hook up with your mystery man.”  
Rebecca blushed and smiled.  
“Hook up is maybe a strong word. I was planning on seeing if I can spend some more time with him. But to be honest, I’m not even sure if he was just being polite or really interested.”  
“He would be crazy if he wouldn’t want to spend more time with you. Decided on what you’re going to wear yet?” Carolyn asked her.  
“I was thinking the blue dress with the slash neck.” Rebecca had a big fondness for vintage dresses and this one made her look like a 1950’s bombshell.  
“Good choice. I take it you wore your new green lace dress yesterday?”Carolyn had been there when she had bought the dress. Rebecca nodded.  
“So,” Mary interjected, “as you won’t tell us his name, we need a codename for him, we can’t keep calling him the guy you met at Starks Christmas party.”  
Rebecca giggled, she felt giving Phil a codename was a bit over the top, but it would work keeping his identity a secret for a while longer. If it would work out he would meet her friends in due time and if it wouldn’t work his identity would remain under wraps. But what codename would be good? The director would be funny, but wasn’t really keeping his identity a secret.  
“Let’s call him Mr. Unafraid, as he isn’t afraid of you so it appears.”Carolyn said.  
“Mr. Unafraid it is!”Rebecca said laughing. She loved her friends who supported her unconditionally. She steered the conversation to another topic, Carolyn’s most recent lover, who had a thing for feet and shoes. 

Phil Coulsons apartment 11pm  
Phil had ate his pizza, drank some more merlot and decided to go to bed. He wanted to see Rebecca again and sooner than at the New year’s party. He was thinking that maybe he could go see her at Stark Industries after his meeting with Tony on Monday. Maybe he could take her to lunch or ask for a tour around her department. He decided on the tour. Taking her to lunch would maybe show his interest too much. He didn’t want to come off as a stalker or a lovesick 16 year old who didn’t know when to stay away, especially because he wasn’t sure she was interested. A tour it would be then. That could still be just professional interest. Phil smiled, closed his eyes and fell asleep.


	3. Coffee

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phil brings Rebecca coffee.

Chapter 3  
December 28th  
Tony Starks office, Stark Industries  
Tony didn’t spend a whole lot of time in his office, but he still had one. He only used it for conversations like these, concerning the avengers initiative or iron man stuff. And even those conversations took place mostly in his workshop in his house.   
After Phil and Tony finished their business, Tony decided to bring up the subject of Rebecca.   
“So Phil, we saw you had a really great time with our VP R&D.” Phil turned slightly red and started mumbling: “Uh. Yes... it was really nice.”  
“You know she is working today. You could just swing by if you want to.”  
“She’s probably too busy, she told me she had to work, she even couldn’t fly home for the holidays.”  
“You could always bribe her. Bring her a large hazelnut latte with two packets of sweetener on the side from the coffee place around the corner and she will probably give you a tour or something. If you ask nicely.”  
“So where is this little coffee place exactly?” Phil asked, bringing Rebecca her favourite coffee and asking for a tour sounded near perfect. It was professional, but also thoughtful. 

Rebecca’s Office, Starks Industries  
Pepper sat on Rebecca’s desk as she sat in her comfortable chair with a lot of files to read.   
“So Becca, You really hit it off with Phil, didn’t you. Tony was kind of surprised when he came back up. We were thinking he had gone back to your place.”  
“Pepper, I might have had a good time with Phil, but that doesn’t mean I am going to behave slutty. And I had that Skype session with my family. It would have been really weird if half way a naked or half naked guy would come walking through the screen, wouldn’t it. I would really have some questions to answer. And also it didn’t come up. He was a true gentleman and I didn’t ask if he wanted to come home with me.”  
“He is a true gentleman, isn’t he? And also not afraid of powerful women. I hope there’s something more, I think he could make you happy.”  
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, please. I’m going to see him Thursday and I’m just going to take it from there. To be honest, I’m not even sure if he wasn’t just being polite.”  
“You know he is in the building right? He is having a meeting with Tony right now. You could just swing by Tony’s office with some excuse. Would be a great way to see what his reaction is to you.” Rebecca blushed at the idea of seeing Phil again. On the other hand, she didn’t want to seem too interested. “I am not going to behave like a lovesick teenager. Also I have work to do.”  
At that moment there was a knock on the door.  
“Enter.”  
Phil walked in with two big cups of coffee.  
“I have to go Rebecca, call me about that file?” Pepper left as quickly as her stiletto heels allowed her, holding her hand in a telephone gesture.   
“I brought you a hazelnut latte, two packets of sweetener on the side.”  
“You talked to Tony, didn’t you? Thanks, it smells amazing.” She quickly put the sweetener in the coffee and stirred. The smell was delightful, just the thing she needed.   
“I thought you might be able to make some time to give me a tour of the department. It struck me that much of our tech is developed her, but I have never seen the department.”  
“Sure, give me a minute to put some files away.” While she put some files in a cabinet, he looked at her. She was wearing dark blue chinos and a striped vintage blouse. The flat ballerina’s made the ensemble and she looked like she could be straight out of 50’s Paris. When she stood beside him he noticed that she was indeed not much shorter than he was. “Let’s go.” She said, looking at him, still holding the big cup of latte.  
She took him past several offices and workshops, introducing the people who were working, explaining what some of the projects were and what use they might be for Shield.   
About an hour later they came back at her office. She was sorry it had to end, but she also had work to do, and the same was probably true for him.   
“Well, we’re back where we started.”  
“Thank you for the tour, it was really interesting. I should probably go, I have taken enough of your time and I have some work to do myself.” She wished she would dare ask him to stay. She knew it would be better if he left though, maybe she could get some work done, instead of thinking about him. “Uh... yes, I guess I will see you Thursday?”  
“Absolutely.”Phil smiled. His heart leapt. Obviously she wanted to see him again just as much as he wanted to see her. As he walked away Rebecca slumped into her chair. Her phone buzzed.  
[How was the latte, I gave him the right recipe, right?] Tony was budding in again.  
[The latte was fine, and yes it was the right recipe]  
[And the tour?]  
[Maybe you should ask Phil]  
[I will]  
Phils phone buzzed  
[How was the tour, learned anything interesting ;)]  
[Tour was great, really interesting work you guys do here]  
[How was Rebecca?]  
[If you want to know how Rebecca is doing, you should probably ask her yourself]  
“They are really avoiding any questions about each other, Pepper, which is either a very good sign or a bad one.” Pepper was sitting behind Tony’s desk, while Tony sat on the couch in his office. Pepper looked up from whatever report she was reading.   
“I can almost guarantee you it’s a good one, she seemed really kind of smitten with him, did you send him up with the coffee? That was a golden move, any man bringing her coffee puts him in her good books.”  
“I even told him which coffee to get and where. He seems quite smitten with her as well, ever seen the good man mumbling while blushing after he gets asked about an evening with a woman?”  
“No, were you teasing him?” Pepper felt kind of sorry for Phil, Tony could really tease a man about women.   
“No, I just asked him about his evening. He turned red and couldn’t get a straight word out anymore. It was quite funny to see the director of SHIELD not knowing what to say.”  
“She blushed too when I told her he was in the building, when I suggested she could just swing by your office with some excuse.”  
“Talking about golden moves... Pepper, setting them up might have just been it.”


	4. New year's eve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> New year's eve at Tony Stark's house.

Chapter 4  
December 31st 2015  
Tony Starks apartment around 10pm  
Rebecca entered the room and scanned it for Phil. He was sitting at the bar with Natasha and Clint. As she didn’t want to interfere she decided to walk past him to the balcony where Pepper and Tony were standing.  
Phil saw her walk by. He couldn’t help following her with his eyes, loving the way the blue vintage dress hugged her curves and showed her neck and shoulders. She had put up her strawberry blond hair.   
Natasha immediately noticed all the little signs of attraction in Phil. The slightly dilated pupils, his heightened heartbeat in his neck, the slight blush.   
“I didn’t know you had a thing for Rebecca Wills?”  
“You know her?”  
“Sure I do, she has been a friend of Peppers for years, but that didn’t answer my question.”  
“Uh... well...I had a nice conversation with her at the Christmas Gala. She is a really interesting woman.”  
“Your body language tells me that you find her more than interesting, why don’t you go talk to her. Bring her a glass of dry white wine.”  
“Uh... she’s talking to Pepper and Tony now. I don’t want to interfere.”  
“Okay.” Natasha got up and walked towards the balcony. If Phil was going to be shy, that was his problem, but she wasn’t and she wanted to know more.   
“Hey Rebecca, you look amazing.” Natasha kissed Rebecca on the cheek, fully aware of Phil looking at them.   
“Natasha, it’s good to see you.” Rebecca was well aware who Natasha had been talking to before her and why she was here.   
“So how have you been, is there a new man in your life yet?” Rebecca was deliberating if she was going to be mean and ask Natasha if she found Bruce yet, but decided that responding meanly to a teasing question was uncalled for. Her eyes drifted toward Phil. He was walking toward the balcony, holding a glass of wine in one hand, a glass of whiskey in the other. “Well?”Natasha asked again, knowing full well what was happening.   
“Hi Rebecca, I brought you a glass of wine.” Rebecca felt relieved. Saved by the bell, or maybe saved by Phil.  
Natasha took her aside and whispered: “If you break his heart I will find you.” Natasha walked away, hips swaying, leaving Rebecca shocked and in awe.   
“What did she say?” Phil asked, concerned. “Nothing that concerns you, Phil.” Rebecca smiled.   
They fell into an easy conversation with Pepper and Tony.   
“You know she cooks, Phil? She is quite the amateur chef.” Tony said. Phil who was quite the foodie looked at Rebecca surprised. If she hadn’t looked perfect to him before, she would have now.  
“Every girl needs a hobby, mine is cooking, and baking. It relaxes me.”  
“Maybe you can cook for Phil sometime, Rebecca.”Pepper tried.   
Phil was quick to respond for her: “If she wants to invite me, she will. If she doesn’t, that’s okay too.”  
They talked some more about cooking and food, while Rebecca was already thinking what she would cook if she did invite Phil over. It had to be spectacular. It had to be something she cooked before, as there would be no room for failure. The options fell slightly into place.  
“Guys, we would love to keep talking to you all evening, but we do have other guest we need to entertain, I’m sure we can leave you alone, can’t we?” Pepper said after about 15 minutes.   
“Of course.” Phil sounded really adamant. After they had left and Phil and Rebecca were standing on the balcony alone, next to each other looking out over the city, Phil just couldn’t help but ask: “So, are you going to invite me for dinner, Rebecca?”  
“I don’t know yet.” Rebecca lied, but her smile spoke volumes. “So how was your week?”  
“Not very interesting, even Hydra seems to keep calm during the holidays.” Phil felt a little bold and slid his right hand toward her back. Rebecca felt his warm hand on her back and it felt surprisingly comfortable. Everything about his company felt comfortable.   
Tony nudged Pepper and whispered: “Talking about golden moves. That does look like young love doesn’t it.” Pepper smiled and whispered back: “I’ll have a discrete waiter bring them a refill.”  
***  
“Ten-nine-eight-seven...” people around them were counting down and Phil was holding Rebecca’s hand. A week ago he would have never thought he would end the year like this.  
“Happy New-year Rebecca.””Happy New-Year, Phil.” Phil decided that this was the moment. He didn’t do the normal two kisses on the cheeks, but kissed her lips. Very tender and almost chaste. She responded by pressing her lips against his, her body a little bit closer. It was over before they knew it. Rebecca grabbed two glasses of champagne of a waiters tray and noticed Tony and Pepper watching them. “Guess the secret is out.” she said nudging her head their way. Phil smiled. “Let’s go and wish them a happy New-year.”  
After they wished the appropriate number of people a very happy New-Year Phil asked: “Want to go back to the balcony, watch the fireworks?” “Sure.” Phil grabbed her hand and whisked her away to a remote part of the huge balcony. He decided to be bold again. That had worked for him today so far, so why wouldn’t it now. He kissed her again. A little less tender and not at all chaste this time. She opened her mouth for him as if it were choreographed. He pressed her against the wall of a little alcove using his left hand for support and his right hand on her waist.   
Rebecca slid her hand behind his neck. It wasn’t like she hadn’t expected he would kiss her again, but she was surprised by what it made her feel. The little hairs on the back of her neck were standing up. Coming up for air she joked: “Phil, you’re blocking my view of the fireworks.” Phil responded by kissing her neck and the exposed part of her shoulder. Rebecca gasped. “Want me to stop?” Phil teased her. “No! Please don’t.” His hand was exploring her body, her hips, going up to her breasts. Rebecca could feel his arousal through all the layers of fabric.   
“Oh... oops sorry.”Phil and Rebecca both turned toward the voice. It was Darcy Lewis, holding hands with one of shields senior operational agents, quickly making themselves scarce. Phil suddenly felt like a 16 year old who gets caught. His face flushed. He tried to apologize to Rebecca: “I am sorry, I have let myself go.” “You’re apologizing? To me? I don’t know if you remember but I was a willing participant.” “It can’t be good for your reputation to be seen making out in public.” “And it can’t be bad for yours.” Rebecca giggled. “I think my reputation can handle the public outrage of me making out with someone in public at a party.” She decided to kiss him again. “Why don’t we go a little more private, if it bothers you to stain my reputation.” “Okay. Just give me a couple of minutes..., there’s no way I can go anywhere without destroying my reputation at the moment.” They walked up to the railing together, Rebecca trying to get her hair back in order, Phil trying to get his body back in order.   
“Ah son of Coul, there you are.” Phil would have recognized the voice anywhere and his body slouched a bit in disappointment. It suddenly struck him he would have to talk not only to the Norse god, but to a lot more people on the way from here to her room. Just making their way through the crowd would raise too much suspicion.  
“Hello Thor, Hello Jane, my best wishes for the new year.” Jane whispered something in Thor’s ear. “What do you mean you think they want to be alone? Phil is my friend, he likes my company.” Thor bellowed in response. Rebecca smiled. Thor was a god, but he wasn’t the smartest or most subtle when it came to social conventions or humour.   
“Hi, I don’t think we have met before, I’m Jane.”  
“Hi, Rebecca Wills.”  
“A, Peppers friend and Tony’s big shot VP, sorry about this.”  
“Don’t worry about it. I’ve know Thor longer than today. He is a great guy, but isn’t very good with subtlety.”  
“You’ve got that right. So... You and Director Coulson, huh. That’s newsworthy to say the least.”  
“Please...”  
“I’m not a gossip, Rebecca, don’t worry.” Rebecca relaxed a little. “Thor is, but I don’t think you have to worry about him, he still doesn’t understand you would rather be alone and why. I’ll explain later and press upon him the importance of discretion.” Rebecca smiled. She liked this woman. She knew Jane was her equal in intelligence, and also quite strong and independent. Jane moved over to Thor.   
“Honey, we should go talk to those people over there.”  
“Okay. Goodbye son of Coul, Goodbye miss Wills.” Thor and Jane walked away.   
“How are we ever going to get passed all these people?” Rebecca asked Phil. “Most of them will want to talk to either you or me.”  
Phil smirked. “One at a time, I guess. I could also pick you up and carry you across the room, but that would probably be just as indiscrete and bad for your reputation as making out with you right in the middle. Your call.”  
“One at a time I guess it is then.”  
Fifty minutes later they finally gotten to the guest wing of Tony’s apartment. He had twelve really nice bedrooms with en suite bathrooms, as he was used to entertaining large crowds. Pepper had placed Rebecca and Phil in the ones opposite each other at the end of the hall, ensuring privacy. At Rebecca’s door, Phil kissed her again, letting his hands explore a little more than the last time. His hand went under the hem of her dress, touching the small strip of skin between her stocking and her panties. “Want to come in?” Rebecca asked hoarsely. “I do, but I won’t.” “What?” Rebecca was surprised. “When we are going to do this, and believe me we are, I don’t want it to be in some half drunken party haze.” He said.” I don’t want this to be a one night stand. I want to take my time and savour it.” “Okay. I understand.” Rebecca replied, swallowing back her disappointment. Phil kissed her one more time, turned around and crossed the hall to his own room. After he entered he slumped onto the bed. It had taken all of his self-restraint to say no to Rebecca. He didn’t have any left to stop him from relieving himself under the shower.   
Rebecca entered her own room, feeling all hot and bothered and like she just had a cold shower at the same time. She understood his reasoning, but wasn’t happy about it. She just undressed and got into her bed. She was too restless to go to sleep, but finally did about one and a half hour later.


	5. The morning after

Chapter 5  
January 1st  
Tony and Peppers apartment, around noon.   
Rebecca got up. She dressed herself in a black pencil skirt and a beautiful green top that made her look like she just walked straight out of the forties. Now she was sober again she was happy about Phil’s self-restraint of last night, even though she wouldn’t have minded waking up next to him this morning. She felt it meant he was serious. She grabbed her bag and decided to have brunch.   
Before she could get to the brunch table she was taken aside by Pepper. “Either the two of you didn’t sleep together or one of you made a walk a shame earlier.” “First of all Pepper, that is none of your business. Second, neither of us entered a room that was not assigned to us.”   
“I was so sure...”  
“So was I... but Phil didn’t want this to be a one night stand. Not sure how he feels about it now. But now I’m just being indiscrete. I think I should talk to him first.”  
“Well no one dares to sit next to him, seems like everyone knows the seat next to him is for you.” Pepper nodded toward the table.Like she said Phil was sitting alone. He was wearing dark jeans and a nice blue shirt. “Go talk to him, keep me informed.”  
Rebecca walked to the table quite nervously. What if Phil had changed his mind about what he had said yesterday. She sat down next to him. “Good morning.” Phil looked at her and smiled. “Good morning. Wow, you look amazing, if Steve could see you now, I would have some serious competition.” “Thank you. And why does every one think I would be remotely interested in Steve.” Phil kissed her on the cheek. Rebecca blushed, but decided to be truthful: “Thanks for your self-restraint yesterday. I couldn’t have done it. This morning I was glad for it. Not that I would have minded waking up next to you.” “Hardest thing I had to do in a long time, to be honest. But I meant it. So uhm... can I take you to dinner tomorrow?” “I would really like that.” Rebecca grabbed her bag, took out a business card and wrote her home address on the back. “That’s my home address and my home number, its secure.” “Pick you up around 7?” “That would be good.”   
They ate their brunch together, no one dared disturb these two people who were totally absorbed by each other. After about half an hour Phil got up. “I should really go. I do have to work today. I am sorry.” “Don’t be. I know what’s it’s like to have a demanding job. I will probably do some work myself when I get home.” He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and left. He hadn’t even left the room yet when Pepper sat down at his seat.   
“And?”  
“Dinner tomorrow.”  
“Let’s go shopping tomorrow, you need a new dress.”  
“What’s wrong with the dresses I already own?”  
“You have worn them before. You need a new one, something you can feel really sexy in.”  
“Okay, meet at Katz around one? We will have some lunch before. No use shopping on an empty stomach.”  
Phils Apartment 7 pm  
Phil had just finished working, mostly a backlog of paperwork. He liked being the director, but he hated the paperwork. But as Phil believed in doing everything right, he did the work as conscientiously as possible. His stomach was growling and one view of the fridge was enough for him to decide to order. After being able to compartmentalise her for the entire afternoon, he was thinking of Rebecca and was trying his best to think of an excuse to at least text her. He was holding the business card, flipping it over and over in his hand. He had an idea. It would be like he would just be asking her something practical for tomorrow.   
[Hi, forgot to ask you if there are any cuisines you don’t like, before I make a reservation somewhere you would hate. P. ]  
It took a while for her to respond. Phil felt nervous, maybe she was thinking how to tell him she didn’t want to go to dinner anymore.   
[Hi, don’t worry, not a fussy eater. Surprise me. ;)]  
Phil let out a breath he hadn’t been aware he had been holding. She was probably just busy. She had told him she would probably do some work herself. His mind drifted to the night before. On the one hand he was happy he had had the self-restraint to go to his own room, but he could help thinking about what it would have been like to go into that room with her. What it would have been like to wake up next to her. She had made herself quite vulnerable by telling her she wouldn’t have minded waking up next to him. He wouldn’t have minded himself. He was an early riser and imagined waking up next to her, seeing her sleep, her hair across her face.


	6. First date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rebecca goes on her first date with Phil, but not everything goes as expected.

Chapter 6  
January 2nd  
Katz Delicatessen 1.00 pm  
Rebecca and Pepper sat in a little stall eating a sandwich.   
“So now that I have you alone, tell me exactly why you and Phil didn’t do it? I could have sworn that’s where you were headed, when the two of you disappeared in the guest wing together.”  
“So could I. But when I invited him in, he said he didn’t want a one night stand, he wants to take his time.”  
“I knew he was a gentleman, but that sounds almost old fashioned.”  
“I wasn’t happy at the time, but now I am happy he did, it makes me feel kind of special.”   
“Phil has a way of doing that to women. Maybe because he doesn’t meet many women he is interested in.”  
“Can you tell me more about them? Oh my god, I sound like a 15 year old right now.”  
“Well there was Camilla, military chick from Peru, I believe she was just a fling, was somewhere in the early zeroes, maybe 2002. She betrayed him a couple of years ago in a 084 situation. No competition. Then there was Audrey. She plays cello at the Portland symphony. They met when she was stalked by an inhuman. She thinks he is dead, and has moved on with someone else. Might be competition if she finds out he is alive. Then there was Rosalind. You know what happened to her.” Rebecca nodded. “She will only be competition if you let her, if you don’t leave space for her.”  
“I feel bad asking you everything you know about him.”  
“Well honey, he probably read your file on Christmas day. I know him, he does everything very thoroughly. He would want to know if there was any chance you were hydra before bringing you coffee in your office. So he already knows about all your exes, what your dad did before retiring and the names of your nephews and nieces. He probably even knows about those books you forgot to return to the library.”  
“Well there goes the mystery.”  
“I think there is enough mystery for him to discover.” They had finished their food. “Let’s go, I saw the perfect little dress on my way up here.  
Rebecca’s Apartment 6.45 pm.   
Rebecca had put on her new navy wrap dress she had bought at a nice little vintage shop she frequented. It wasn’t the same dress as Pepper had seen, but it was from the same shop. She felt really beautiful in it, but was also a bit nervous about her first proper date with Phil. A couple of minutes later, Rebecca was just putting on her shoes, her doorbell rang. She felt her heart pound in her throat. He was a bit early, not too much, just a couple of minutes. Her mouth felt dry. She looked through the peaking hole. It was him, so she quickly opened the door. He gave her a confident smile, that lessened a bit when he noticed that she was a bit taller than him in her four inch heels.   
“Wow, you look amazing, again.” He kissed her cheek and gave her a bottle of white burgundy from an excellent year. “I thought this probably would make you happier than a bouquet of flowers you hardly get to see, because you are at the office.”  
“Thank you, you look very handsome too.” He was wearing a dark blue suit and white shirt. No tie. When she noticed that she was taller than him she asked: “Do you want me to put on some other shoes?”  
“No need, I want people to wonder what I’ve got to be able to go out with a much younger, taller woman who is clearly out of my league.”  
“Well there are three options...”  
“Money, power, what’s the third? Connections? She whispered the answer in his ear, making him blush. “I’m good with that too.” He smirked. She grabbed her coat and they walked out of her apartment.  
When they arrived at his car Rebecca started laughing. “What?” Phil asked. “When Pepper first told me I would be sitting next to an older guy at the gala, I might have said something mean about bolding fifty-somethings with red convertibles.” “I did tell you about Lola. Well this is her.” “Yeah, you are right. But I found it just very coincidental that what I would consider the worst possible person to sit next to, turned out to be someone like you.”   
“I think I’m going to take that as a compliment.”   
“Please do.” He opened the passenger door for her and she got in, fastening the old fashioned seat belt. He walked around the car, got in, fastened his seat belt and started the car.   
“I made a reservation at this new place, French-Japanese fusion cooking. I heard they serve great fish.”   
“Sounds very interesting.” Rebecca touched the leather on the interior of the car, thinking: so you are the other woman in his life. “I think I like her.”   
“Sure you do, I have noticed you prefer things older.”   
“Huh? Are you talking about yourself?”   
“No about your wardrobe.” Phil smirked “You always dress in these stylish vintage outfits. It would figure you would prefer a classic car over a modern MPV. And it would also figure that you prefer going out with a more mature man, than with a hot shot from wall street.” He smirked at her.   
Rebecca smiled: “Don’t get over-confident, director. Also look at the road.”  
They arrived at the restaurant, Phil reluctantly gave the keys to the valet. Phil slipped his arm around her waist and Rebecca let him as they walked into the restaurant. He let her order and when she did in perfect French he looked surprised.  
“Didn’t my file tell you I’m a polyglot?” She asked.  
“Uh... How did you know?” Phil resigned on her knowing, not intent on lying.  
“Pepper pointed it out to me.”  
“I am sorry, it was a violation of your privacy.” Phil started to apologize.  
“No its okay. I understand, a man in your position can’t be too careful. Anything interesting? Am I a secret Hydra agent intent on seducing the director of shield to found out all his secrets and weaknesses?”  
Phil smirked: “If you are you are doing a fabulous job hiding it. You do have some books you have to return to the library though.”   
“That does feel like an invasion of my privacy.”  
“And yes it did say you are a polyglot. The thing that surprises me is that you speak French without an accent, or with an accent I can discern. Very impressive.”  
“I can’t help it that you Americans have a very fat accent in any foreign language you speak. Us dutchies are taught to speak without an accent, especially at grammar school. And I’m not talking your American Grammar school, but the English version, the one for the really smart kids.”  
“I read that in your file, yes. You know with your intelligence and language skills, you could have become a shield agent.”  
“Not how it turned out, just kind of went with the flow after I graduated.”  
They started talking about her life, things that weren’t in her file, things about him that were interesting, like how he was recruited into shield as a young history major. Rebecca had, because of her father, a good general knowledge of history, which Phil found another interesting piece of the puzzle that was her. She was particularly interested in Victorian London and Jewish life in Eastern Europe. She admitted she had less knowledge of the history of the U.S.A. Between the main and desert Phil suddenly felt a foot gently stroking his leg. Phil looked at her with big eyes. Rebecca grinned at him. “Something wrong, Phil? You suddenly look a bit... flustered.”  
Phil laughed, no wonder that this woman got so successful at such a young age. She knew what she wanted and how to get it. She had focus. And now she had set her sights on him. It made him a little uncomfortable for just a second. Then he felt grateful. This woman was focussing on him.   
Before he knew it they had finished desert, drank one last cup of coffee and he was given the check by the waiter. Rebecca grabbed her wallet, but he refused. “No, my treat.”   
“You know I undoubtedly make more money than you do.”  
“Ah, that’s how you chase all those men away. Making them feel small and insignificant.”  
“Like I could make you feel small and insignificant. And, by the way, I was told you weren’t afraid of powerful women.”  
“I’m not afraid of you. There are other feelings I would identify with you much easier.”  
Rebecca blushed. She had had a great time and she just didn’t want Phil to have to pay for her, when she was quite capable of affording this dinner herself. But she decided to let him pay and feel good about himself. So she put away her wallet. “Okay fine, your treat.”  
As they left the restaurant he put his arm around her again. Rebecca felt comfortable when he did that. At the exact time she felt nothing could ruin this night she heard a voice that made her cringe.  
“Rebecca, how good to see you.” About 4 meters from them was her ex-fiancé Matt with his now wife Christy. Phil felt the tension in her body and whispered: “Matt?”  
“Uhuh.”  
“We can handle this.” Rebecca like the way he had sad we. He had decided they were a unit at the time she had needed it.   
“Hello Matt, good to see you.” Rebecca lied. Phil noticed immediately she became a little fake.   
“You remember Christy don’t you.”   
“Yes, I do. How are you? Meet Phil.”  
“Hello Phil, first date? You are one courageous guy going out with this one.”  
“Rebecca, I had no idea dating you required courage. Are you planning to kill me later? ” Phil smirked at her. He turned to Matt again and was totally serious. “Yes, well I guess only a real man knows how to handle a power lady as Rebecca.” Rebecca tried to conceal her grin. But at that moment she took a good look at Christy. The young woman was obviously pregnant. Well Matt sure had made quick work of that. Rebecca fell silent and Phil noticed that she was really uncomfortable.  
“Well I am going to take Rebecca home now. Nice to meet you Matt. Christy.”  
Christy nudged Matt: “Have you seen who that was? Director Phil Coulson of Shield. He talks to the president and can order the avengers and everything. To be honest, she kind of traded up Matt.”   
Rebecca was silent on the way back.   
“Must be hard, seeing someone you loved move on so quickly.”  
“You know we were still together fifteen months ago. He always said he wasn’t in a hurry to get married. But I guess that wasn’t the case, he just didn’t want to marry me. I didn’t want to give up my job to pop out mini-Matts and he found someone who did, and he made quick work of it.”  
“I’m sorry to hear that. You know, he is a fool. And so are all the other guys who couldn’t look past the job and power and money.” She let her head drop to his shoulder. She could smell him, it made her feel more at ease.   
They had to park two blocks away as there was no space near her building. He walked her home with his right arm tightly around her. Arriving at her door she asked: “Want to come in?” “I do, but I am not going to stay. You are way too distraught to make smart decisions tonight, so I am going to make them for you.” “I understand.” Her frisky mood from earlier had dissipated anyway. She opened the door. “Would you like something to drink?” “Got caffeine-free coffee?” Phil wanted to get some sleep tonight. “Sure.” Rebecca made one coffee and some tea for herself. While she was doing that Phil walked around the open plan living room of her apartment. It was quite small, just a one bedroom flat with a desk near the window, her laptop lying open on it. The kitchen was near the entrance, a door to the bedroom on the left. The apartment was quite neat, but Phil felt that was probably more because she spend many hours at the office, than because she was so neat herself. He walked toward her bookcase and found it quite eclectic. Some Dutch books, judging by the covers Dutch literature, a scientific book about Jack the Ripper, quite a lot of management books and cookbooks. He found some books about psychology and even spirituality. He smiled when he found a book that totally didn’t fit who he thought she was. Astrology for dummies. He took it out and was sitting on the couch leafing it when Rebecca came out of the kitchen with their drinks. He held it up. She smiled. “A gift. I’m very bad at throwing gifts away.”   
“Who thought you might find this interesting?”  
“A friend.”   
“A friend.”  
“Can’t there be any mystery between us? You already know the names of my nephews and nieces, can I please keep some things to myself?”  
“Sure.”   
She sat down next to him. She had taken of her shoes and folded her legs underneath her. She smelled her tea and took a sip.  
“Are you okay?”  
“I am now. You know becoming a mother isn’t something on my to do list to be honest, but it felt really hurtful how quickly he moved on. But I don’t really want to talk about it, if you don’t mind.”  
“I don’t mind.”  
“Maybe we can just sit here in comfortable silence and drink our beverages and enjoy each other’s company.”  
“That sounds great.”  
They just sat there in companionable silence for about half an hour.   
“I should go.”  
“I wish you wouldn’t.”  
“I know.” He kissed her softly on the lips.  
“Why don’t you come over for dinner here next week.”  
“I get invited for dinner? You are going to cook for me?” Phil smiled, he had been hoping for an invitation.  
“Were you expecting anything else?” Rebecca grinned.   
“Sure, do you need me to bring something?”  
“Yourself in a good mood.”  
“See you next week then.”  
After he had left her apartment Phil send two texts.   
[Tony we need to talk about the neighbourhood Rebecca lives in. Are you free tomorrow?”]  
[Pepper, could you please drop by Rebecca’s place tomorrow with a bucket of ice cream and a box of tissues, something happened today on the way back from our date, but she didn’t want to talk about it with me, may be her best friend can help.]  
Pepper responded first  
[Sure, no problem.]  
Tony responded shortly after  
[sure, no problem.]


	7. Budding in

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phil is budding in in Rebecca's life in more than one instance

January 3rd  
Tony Starks Workshop 11 am  
Phil found Tony in his workshop. Phil respected the playboy engineer, even started to like him a bit. But he hadn’t come here for himself. He had found that the neighbourhood Rebecca lived in was very unsafe. He felt she needed somewhere safer to live, preferably some building with a doorman.   
“Phil, good to see you. Must have been ages since you’ve been here.”  
“Tony, likewise.”  
“So, Rebecca’s neighbourhood. What’s with it?”  
“Have you ever been there?”  
“Once or twice, she moved there 15 months ago, after the breakup from Matt, she said it was temporary, I guess she never got around to finding something more permanent.”  
“Well the neighbourhood is unsafe, so I was wondering, do you have any free apartments in one of your buildings, in a better neighbourhood, preferably with a doorman. I am sure she can afford it.”  
“I will call my people. And if she lives in one of my buildings, it will be rent free. Won’t be for more than a couple of months anyway.”  
“Why do you figure that?”  
“Well If everything stays as great as it has so far you will ask her to move in with you in...,” Tony checked the calendar on his wall “six months tops.” Tony grinned.   
“Tony, we only know each other for 10 days, we had our first official date yesterday. We can’t look that far ahead, and neither can you.”  
“Oh, but I can. Want to make a bet? If she hasn’t moved in by August I will do a special mission for you, in my suit. If she has, you will do a special mission for Stark Industries.”  
Phil took Tony’s hand and shook it: “Agreed.” He couldn’t believe he just made a bet on the future of his relationship.   
“Then I will call my people. You will probably hear back from me tomorrow.”  
“Thanks Tony, you’re a good friend.”  
“Rebecca’s friend, currently your just the plus one.”  
“That’s what I meant Tony.”  
“Phil, if you break her heart I will find you. In my suit.”  
“I understand.” Phil walked out of the workshop.   
Tony called the CEO of his real estate company. He found out an apartment in one of his buildings would be vacated on February the first. It was just what Rebecca needed. Nice neighbourhood on the upper east side, doorman, three bedroom and spacious kitchen. The CEO had protested at first that Tony wanted to move in one of his friends rent-free, but decided to cooperate after being thoroughly explained that Tony owned the building and he could probably find someone else to manage his properties.   
“Have that key send to me as soon as she can move in. Preferably a couple of days early.”  
Rebecca’s Apartment 3pm  
Pepper knocked on the door of Rebecca’s Apartment. Rebecca had been working on her employee evaluations and wasn’t expecting anyone. She went to the door and looked through the peaking hole in her door and was surprised to see Pepper standing there. She opened the door.  
“Pepper, did I forget we were meeting?”  
“Phil send me. He told me something happened yesterday that you are upset about, but you didn’t want to talk about with him. Maybe you want to talk to me?”  
“Can’t believe he is budding in.” Rebecca sighed and let Pepper in.   
“He is just worried. You know he actually talked to Tony about getting you a better apartment, he thinks the neighbourhood is unsafe. But tell me what happened.” They walked to the couch and sat down.  
“We ran into Matt and Christy yesterday. She’s pregnant.”  
“Wow, that’s quick. How did Phil handle the situation?”  
“Perfectly, he emasculated Matt and whisked me away from the situation.”  
“Well, if Phil is one thing, besides the perfect gentleman, it’s sassy, especially against assholes like Matt. How do you feel about it?”  
“Not sure. Look, it’s not like I want to become a mother myself. If I did I would probably be barefoot and pregnant and still with Matt myself. But it was quite hurtful to see how quickly he moved on. I don’t know.”  
“Doesn’t look like you are as distraught as Phil thought.”  
“I was worse yesterday, but Phil was really sweet.” Pepper walked over to the kitchen and got them something to drink.   
“But I guess he didn’t stay over again.”  
“Nope, sometimes I wonder if he really wants me.”  
“I doubt that is the problem, probably more an issue of him not wanting to force anything.”  
“I know, but ah well... you know. I wish he were just a little less patient.”  
“Maybe he has some problems in that department since Rosalind?”  
“Oh, that’s definitely not the case.” Rebecca giggled like a 16 year old schoolgirl.   
“How do you know? I thought you were complaining about a lack of action.”  
“How am I going to put this delicately? I could feel that he has no problems with it at New years. Twice. By the way, he might be 51, but he is still very fit. Not even a beer belly or anything. He must workout extensively.”  
“I think he does. So I guess you are okay.”  
“Yes I am okay.”  
“Then tell me everything about yesterday up until you left the restaurant. How did he like the dress? Did he bring you flowers? I don’t see any flowers. Where did he take you, did he take you in Lola, did you have a good time?”  
“He loved the dress, he already figured out I prefer vintage clothing.”  
“Wow, that’s quick.”  
“He brought me an excellent bottle of wine, perfect to my taste.”  
“I see a certain Russian hand in that.” Referring to Natasha’s knowledge of Rebecca’s drinking habits, something she had about everyone interesting she met.  
“So do I. He took me to a nice French-Japanese restaurant in Lola. We had a great time, I mentioned him reading my file, he didn’t even take the effort to deny it.”  
“That’s good, at least he wasn’t lying to you.”  
“Right, we talked about a lot of stuff and then I offered to pay.”  
“We have talked about that Rebecca, you might make more money, but men in the United States like to pay for dinner.”  
“I know, he took it quite well and I put away my wallet. So we were waiting for the car when the little incident happened, we went home, had a drink and then he left.”  
“Made a new date?”  
“I invited him over for dinner on Saturday.”  
“Good for him. But if you are really okay, I am going home.”  
As soon as Pepper left Rebecca grabbed her phone and send a text to Phil.  
[Buying me dinner doesn’t give you the right to bud into my life. ;)  
[I have no idea what you are talking about.]  
[Pepper was just here, with ice-cream and tissues. She also told me you talked to Tony.]  
[Well I thought you could use a shoulder that wasn’t someone that you were dating and I do feel your neighbourhood is unsafe. You need a place in a nice neighbourhood with a doorman.]  
[Well I was planning on looking for another place, but I haven’t gotten quite around to it. Not really a priority]  
[See, you do want to move somewhere else.]  
[You are forgiven this time ;) but no more meddling.]  
[No more meddling]  
A second later  
[Are you okay?]  
[I am fine, you shouldn’t have send Pepper over. I was working]  
[I did have a really nice evening.]  
[Me too]


	8. New apartment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony found Rebecca a new apartment.

Chapter 8  
January 4th   
Rebecca’s office.  
Tony walked into Rebecca’s office.   
“Tony, what can I do for you?”  
“It’s more what I can do for you.”  
“Which is?”  
“You will be able to move to your new apartment on the upper east side on February first. Three bedrooms, spacious kitchen, doorman, the works.”  
“Tony, I am not sure I can afford that. It sounds quite expensive.”  
“Rent free, as you are not going to stay there for longer than half a year, if things keep going the way they are with you and Phil.”  
“Tony, we went on one date.”  
“After which he came asking me for a safer place for you to live. The guy is quite serious about you, you know.”  
“Thanks Tony, it’s very generous of you.”  
“Anything for my second best girl.”  
Rebecca smiled.   
“Best feature of the apartment is, it’s only three blocks away from Phil’s apartment. Makes the walk of shame a lot shorter.” Tony smirked at her, turned around and walked out of Rebecca’s apartment.


	9. Dinner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rebecca has Phil over for dinner.

Chapter 9  
January 9th.  
Rebecca’s apartment around 7 pm  
They didn’t have much time to see or talk to each other that week. Phil had gone to Uruguay to put out a fire, and Rebecca was given a new project she was quite busy with.   
Phil was standing in front of the door of Rebecca’s apartment. He was a little bit nervous, anxious to see her, also he was done being patient. He knew she wanted him, so there was no need any more being a gentleman. He hesitated a second before he knocked on the door. About thirty seconds after he had done so, Rebecca opened the door in a thirties style wrap dress in a soft pink floral design. She was wearing warm socks underneath it. Phil took her in his arms and kissed her in a way that left no doubt of his intentions tonight. Rebecca responded in kind.   
“Like the socks.”  
“What? I hate cold feet.” Phil smiled. She seemed totally comfortable with him in her apartment.   
“Can I get you a drink?” she asked from the kitchen.   
“How long till dinner?”  
“Ten minutes, I think?”  
“A glass of wine then, whatever fits the food.” Rebecca poured two glasses of the wine he had brought her last week. He followed her to the kitchen and tried to look at what was inside the pots. Touching her waist he said: “Smells great, what did you make?”   
“Bouillabaisse, grilled sea bass and traditional Italian tiramisu. Well I haven’t actually grilled the bass yet, as that would be a waste.” She finished preparing the soup and Phil carried two plates toward her little dining table.   
“You could get a bigger one in your new apartment you know.”  
“I know. Did Tony tell you what he considered the best feature of the apartment?”  
“The doorman?”  
“Apparently it’s only three blocks from yours.”  
“Wow, he must have really thought about it.”  
“He is giving it to me rent-free as he thinks I will only live there a couple of months.”  
“I know, he said the same thing to me.”  
They talked about her moving and how she got to live in this apartment in this bad neighbourhood.  
“After I broke up with Matt I needed something quick. It was supposed to be temporary, for a couple of months, but I just didn’t get around to search for a new place.”  
After desert, Phil made coffee and found Rebecca sitting on the coach, her legs folded underneath her. He sat as close as possible and kissed her. When she put her hand behind his neck and pulled him down a bit, he found himself on top of her. He started kissing her neck and shoulder, he noticed she was unbuttoning his shirt. “Want to take this to the bedroom?”she asked him, slightly hoarse. “Yes.” They got up and Rebecca took him by the hand to her bedroom. It wasn’t what he expected. It was not girly at all. A large box spring bed, with curtains in the same sandy colour. The walls were a soft yellow. On the wall was a large print of Buddha, in a beautiful frame. On one side a large wardrobe.   
Rebecca undid the tie of her wrap dress. Phil suddenly noticed she was barefoot. When had she taken off her socks? But he stopped thinking about her socks when she let her dress fall to the floor. She was standing there in a soft pink lace bra and matching panties. “Wow. Just wait a second. Stand still, I want to burn this image in my mind.” Rebecca smiled, gave him a moment and walked toward him. She continued to unbutton his shirt, a thing she knew might give him some issues with his hand. After he had taken of his shirt and his T-shirt she looked at his chest. “Is this from when Loki...?” “Yes.” “Eight seconds huh?” Clearly she had read the report. “Eight seconds.” She touched the scar. “I am sorry, but I don’t believe it.” “I would love to tell you, but its classified level ten.” “So there is more to it.”  
He just put his arms around her and walked her to the bed. As her legs hit the bed she lost her balance a little and fell on it. Phil took of his shoes and socks and kneeled before her on the ground. Rebecca sat up and kissed him. “Take of your bra.” Phil whispered an order. She unclasped her bra and took it off. He loved the look of her breasts, full and round and her nipples as little rosebuds already hard with arousal. He touched one with his real hand and heard Rebecca gasp. He listened to all the little sounds she made as he touched one breast and took the other in his mouth, gently licking the bud. He moved his hand slowly down, until he came at her panties. He wiggled his way underneath it and opened her up. He put very slight pressure on the little knot of nerve endings with his thumb while his other fingers explored. He could hear a soft moan. He took his hand back and very slowly took off her panties. “Lie down.” He whispered, not an order but a plea this time, almost begging her. She lied down as he told her. He liked the fact that she let him take control. He started kissing the top of her legs, slowly moving to her centre. When he got there he licked it very gently. While he did so, he put first one, then two fingers inside her. He could feel how aroused she already was. He kept listening to her little moans and gasps and kept noticing the little movements of her body. After a short while he could feel her tighten around his fingers. He could see that she had grabbed the duvet. She was very close. Just a little more pushed her right over the edge.   
It had been awhile since a man had given her an orgasm like that. Sure she had had sex in the last 15 months, but nothing like this, not with a man she actually liked like this. It took a while for her to get down, but when she did she told Phil: “I want you, right now.”   
“Do you have any protection.”  
“Nightstand, but if you are clean, well I’m clean and I am on birth control...” Phil didn’t need to be told twice. He quickly took off his jeans and boxers and moved over Rebecca. He entered her gently and kept still. Rebecca was getting impatient and bucked her hips against his. He started moving, slowly at first, picking up pace little by little. He nuzzled her neck. Rebecca wrapped her legs around his waist, slightly tilting her hips, making sure the angle was just right for that other sensitive spot. As Phil was moving inside her, she felt that she was going over the edge again. Not wanting to scratch his back, she found that tacky, she grabbed the duvet again and almost screamed.   
Phil could feel her tightening around him again. He felt her going over the edge and went over the edge with her.


	10. Mother

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rebecca wakes up in bed alone, someone is knocking on her door, but it isnt who she was hoping.

Chapter 10  
January 10th.  
Rebecca’s apartment.  
Rebecca woke up from someone knocking on her door. She noticed Phil wasn’t there. Maybe he had gone out for coffee and was returning. That would be good. She got up, put on a little silk kimono and went to the door. When she took a look through the little peaking hole, she didn’t know what hit her. It wasn’t Phil. It was her mother. But her mother was supposed to be home, 3700 miles away. She looked around. Her apartment was a mess. Dishes in the sink, glasses still on her dining table, two full cups of cold coffee on her coffee table. She could also suddenly smell the scent of sex on herself.  
She opened the door, a little bit reluctantly. “Hi mom!”  
“Surprise! I decided to come over to New York as you couldn’t come over for the holidays.”  
“Come in. Can I make you a cup of coffee?”  
“Sure.” While Rebecca made coffee, her mother walked around the apartment.”  
“Rebecca? Are you sleeping with the director of Shield?” her mother suddenly yelled from behind her desk. Rebecca turned to her mother and saw her mother holding up a note.  
“What?”  
“Well the note is quite clear.” Rebecca started swearing, she walked up to her mother grabbed the note and read it.  
Hi Sweetheart.  
Thanks for last night. It was wonderful. I am sorry I couldn’t stay, but shield needs his director in Russia. Would have loved to wake up next to you though. I will be back Thursday or Friday. Want to come over for burgers and a movie on Saturday? We could try again to wake up next to each other. X. Phil.  
Okay. So her mom knew about Phil. That was a bit of a problem. If she were going to tell her dad over an non-secure phone that could actually put her in danger.  
“Mom, we will talk about this in about five minutes, first I have to make some phone calls. How long will you stay?”  
“Taking a late flight back on Wednesday. What’s wrong?”  
“Well you knowing about me and Phil is a compartmentalized breach of security. What do you think would happen if a terrorist organization would do if they knew and they wanted something from Phil? Now I have to call Phil’s second in command that my mother read the note her boss left her after he spend the night and now I need my parents house swept for bugs and the phone secured. After that I am going to call daddy that he can expect a shield team tomorrow for that. Promise me you won’t tell dad before the team has done their work. We can’t be too careful. After that I’m going to call my boss that I will take some days off. His girlfriend and my best friend will probably want to hear what happened yesterday.”  
“Sorry, I had no idea.” Her mother looked four inches smaller than when she came in.  
“It’s okay mom. But please no more snooping.”  
So Rebecca called Maria Hill.  
“Maria, its Rebecca, we have a compartmentalized breach of security and I need some help containing it.”  
“Sure, what going on.”  
“Promise me you will be discrete. Phil stayed over yesterday, and because he had to leave early he left me a quite direct note, and my mother, who came for a surprise visit, read it before I found it.”  
“ Wow. What do you need from me.”  
“Could you send a team to my parents house to sweep it and secure the line. Tell them it’s a random check because of my security clearance, that’s what I am going to tell my dad. That way my mother can call him. I can’t ask her to keep it a secret. She might slip up.”  
“Done. You know I have to contact Phil about this, as it regards him.” Rebecca sighed. “I know.”  
“Are you reporting the relationship officially?”  
“No, I haven’t even spoken to Phil about last night yet.”  
“Phil will probably want to classify it at as level 5 or 6.”  
“I know.”  
Next was her father, she got the answering machine.  
“Hi daddy, I was just informed a shield team will be sweeping your house tomorrow and securing the line. Nothing to worry about. It’s a random check regarding my security clearance. Just let them do their work and make them some coffee. Mom arrived well here, about fifteen minutes ago. Probably going to take her to that special exhibition at MOMA, Picasso’s sculptures.  
Next was Tony.  
“Hi Tony,” she tried to sound as upbeat as possible. “I’m taking a couple of days off, my mother just arrived for a surprise visit.”  
“Hi Rebecca, that’s okay. See you Thursday?”  
“Yes.”  
“Wait a minute, Pepper wants to talk to you.” Rebecca walked into her bedroom, she didn’t want her mother to hear what she would say to Pepper.  
“What do I hear, you’re taking a couple of days of? Going away somewhere with a certain director?”  
“No, my mother is here to visit.”  
“Your mother, oh my god. Was Phil still there? Don’t tell me it didn’t happen again!”  
“He had already left, had to go to Russia. But he left a note, and my mother read it.”  
“Oh, my god, that must have been embarrassing.”  
“Not as embarrassing as it would have been if he would have still been there, imagine a half naked Phil in my kitchen making coffee when my mother arrived.”  
“That would have been worse.”  
“And I had to handle quite a hassle with the security issues.”  
“Three steps back now. How was it?”  
“Was what?”  
“You know, IT!”  
“It was wonderful, but I can’t talk now, don’t want my mom to hear all the details.”  
“Well, you are going to tell me all the details at lunch on Thursday.”  
“Sure, pick me up from my office?”  
Rebecca hung up the phone and walked back in her living room.  
“Done.”  
“So are you going to talk about your new boyfriend or what?”  
“Well he isn’t my boyfriend, besides that he is a very nice man, a real gentleman, he makes me feel comfortable.”  
“Don’t you think he is a bit old?”  
“Do you have any idea how hard it is for me to meet someone who is not afraid or turned off by my job, who I can talk to about my work without having to tell them it’s classified all the time and who I also click with? It’s a very small pond.”  
“I understand you don’t have many men to pick from, but maybe you could have found someone a little more age appropriate.”  
“What do you think I tried to do the last 15 months?” At that moment the phone rang. Rebecca picked up: “Rebecca.”  
“Rebecca, it’s Phil.” Phil sounded very professional, almost hard. Rebecca felt her heart drop. “I heard we had a situation.” Rebecca walked into the bedroom.  
“Yes we did, but it seems like everything is being handled.”  
“Okay.” Phil’s tone softened.  
“It sounds like it was quite embarrassing.”  
“Could have been worse.”  
“How could it have been worse?” She could hear the smirk in his voice.  
“Well, imagine, you didn’t get that call and were still here, making coffee in my kitchen in just your boxers and T-shirt, while I was cooking breakfast in your shirt. And then my mother knocked on the door.”  
“Okay, it could have been worse.”  
“I don’t think either of us is ready for you to meet my mom.”  
“Are you okay?”Phil suddenly asked.  
“Why wouldn’t I be?”  
“I am not the guy to make love to a woman and then leave the house before she wakes.”  
“I understand, Phil.”  
“So are you coming over for burgers and a movie Saturday? I can’t cook, but I would love for you to come over.”  
“Of course, just promise me one thing.”  
“Which is?”  
“Next time, wake me up. No more notes.”  
“I promise. I have to go now. I did mean it by the way, when I said it was wonderful yesterday.”  
“It was.”  
“I’ll call as soon as I get some reception on the way back.”  
“I would like that.” They hung up the phone and Rebecca went back in her living room.  
“Was that him?” Her mother couldn’t help but ask.  
“It was.”  
“Why is he going to Russia?”  
“Probably classified, didn’t ask.”  
“Are you going to see him again.”  
“Yes, mom, I’m not going to defend my choices. I like this man, he likes me and I just want to see where it’s heading. Maybe we break up in a couple of weeks, maybe I will be a middle-aged woman with a senior husband.”  
“Has he been married before?”  
“No, shield agents know that when they get recruited they choose a life of working for the greater good, but have to forget about the everyday pleasures of normal people, like marriage and kids.”  
“So why do you think this is going anywhere if he can’t get married because of his job.”  
“He sort of has a desk job right now. He could get dispensation from the board. But there has not been spoken of marriage, or kids. We’re taking it one date at the time right now.”  
“Okay, you are old and wise enough to make a mature decision about your love life.” Her mother threw her hands up in surrender.  
“Thanks, can we drop it now? I was thinking we could go see the exhibition at MOMA, its Picasso’s sculptures.”  
“That sounds great.”


	11. Conversations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rebecca talks to Pepper, Phil talks to Daisy and Mel.

Chapter 11  
January 14th.  
Some deli close to Stark Towers. Around 1 pm  
Rebecca had spend a couple of nice days with her mother. She had told her mother some more things about Phil, and she felt her mom felt a little more at ease. She dropped her mother of at JFK on Wednesday night and went to work on Thursday. Pepper had picked her up for lunch as agreed. They were sitting in a corner booth in a deli close to the Stark Towers.  
“Tell me everything.” Pepper said when they had ordered.  
“I can’t believe you want to know details of sex between two of your friends.”  
“Sorry, but I just really want to know. Was it wonderful because it was the two of you or was it wonderful because it was the two of you and it was also great sex. I imagine Phil as a very capable and considerate lover.” Rebecca started to blush. “So it was the latter.” Pepper deducted.  
“I’m just not very comfortable talking about him, because you know him, I don’t want you to think differently about him.”  
“Well if he is as good as your blush and your reluctance to speak about it implies, I will only think better of him. Just tell me something, you don’t have to be graphic about it.”  
“He likes to be in control. He is patient and can delay his own pleasure for his partners. And he really knows what he is doing.”  
“Any trouble with the hand?”  
“I think he is getting more agile everyday with his left hand. Did unbutton his shirt for him though.”  
“Can we begin at the beginning? He came over for dinner...”  
“Well even before he came in he made sure there was no doubt about his intentions, without words We had dinner, sat on the couch, started to make out, so I took him to the bedroom. And that’s all you are going to hear about it.”  
“Were you very disappointed when he was gone when you woke up?”  
“First I thought the knocking was him, maybe he forgot something or he went for coffee. At the end it turned out it was a good thing he had gone, I am so not ready for him to meet my parents.”  
“I can imagine, how did your mother react?”  
“Judgemental, as can be expected. She thinks he is too old, but I think she now accepts the situation and that I’m old and wise enough to make mature decisions concerning my love life.”  
“What did Phil say, did you talk to him?”  
“For about three minutes. He didn’t say much about it. Just wanted to know how I was doing and if I still wanted to meet him on Saturday.”  
“You probably handled it well. Phil can appreciate a capable woman.”  
“I hope that’s not all he appreciates.” Rebecca grinned.  
“I’m sure it’s not. So.... are you going to jump his bones on Saturday?”  
“What kind of question is that? I’m not a adolescent with too much hormones.”  
“You are not? You two were kind of acting just like that about two weeks ago.”  
Rebecca blushed: “We were, weren’t we. Phil was right, my reputation is in tatters.”  
“Actually, probably not. Okay you were making out with someone at the party, but on the other hand, you were making out with one of the most powerful and desirable men there, one very eligible bachelor. It shows that although you might have had a little bit of bad judgement, probably because of the festive mood and alcohol, you do have good taste and high standards. It’s not like you took a busboy back to your room. You were smooching with the director of shield.”  
“True. Sometimes I still think we live in a really sexist society though. The only thing that saved my reputation was that I was making out with Phil. Phil could have been doing anyone, and it would have been great for his reputation.”  
“Not true. People still regard Tony a little bit of a man-whore.”  
“Do they? But you have been together for ages now. You are the one who tamed him.”  
“Almost six years now.”  
“That’s amazing.”  
  
  
Somewhere in Siberia, 11 pm.  
Phil had finally achieved his mission and slumped on his bed in his quarters on the bus. It had been a real hectic week. It felt like it was ages ago since he woke in Rebecca’s apartment. She had looked so peaceful, so innocent, he didn’t want to wake her up. He was kind of annoyed that he didn’t get to wake up next to her. Well actually he did, but she didn’t get to wake up next to him. So he left her a note, not knowing it would spark a whole security incident. He smiled when he thought of it and about how she was quick to think how it could have been worse. He was worried she might have changed her mind in the last week, that her mother could have convinced her that he was too old for her. He thought about the way she had looked when she had taken of her dress and was glad he had made a mental picture of it just in case it would have been not only the first but also the last time he would see her naked. He was getting undressed and ready to get into the shower, when there was a knock on the door.  
“Enter.”  
Daisy entered his quarters. “I just finished my report, director.”  
“Mission is achieved, you can call me Phil.”  
“Just finished my report, Phil. Are you okay?”  
“Of course I am, is there anything else I can do for you?”  
“There has been something different about you the whole mission. Can’t really put my finger on it. You seem almost happy.”  
“Happy?”  
“Oh my god, there is a woman in your life. I thought it would take a while after Rosalind, but I can see the same glimmer in your eye you had when you were with her.” Phil smiled.  
“My love-life is none of your business, Skye.”  
“I knew I was right. If your love-life was nonexistent you wouldn’t have reacted like that. So who is the lucky lady? Is it the woman you are being rumoured making out with at the Starks New year’s Party?” Phil couldn’t help but smile.  
“I’m right, aren’t I. So who is the mystery woman.”  
“Daisy, that’s none of your business.”  
“If you won’t talk, I will get Melinda to get it out of you.” Phil laughed out loud, he wasn’t sure if he could withstand Melinda May interrogating him. Especially, because he did want to talk about her. He wanted to talk about nothing else. He wanted to talk about how she had looked, smelled, tasted, felt and sounded that night.  
“You know what, if you leave me in peace now, I will ask her to join us for dinner tomorrow when we get back.”  
“Deal.” She smiled and walked out of Phil’s quarters. He decided to take a quick shower before the rumour had spread through the whole bus.  
Just as he thought, he had just finished his shower when there was another knock on the door.  
“Enter.” Melinda came in.  
“What did I hear, are we going to meet the new potential future Mrs. Coulson tomorrow.” Phil sighed, Skye had really made the story much bigger than it was.  
“Well first of all I still have to ask her to join us. Second of all, I have known her for about three weeks now, there is not even an official relationship, let alone that she is a potential future Mrs. Coulson.” Phil smiled. He liked the idea, but he knew it was way too early in the not even defined relationship to even discuss it with her.  
“But you are thinking about it. So tell me, who is she? Is she the redhead you made out with at Tony and Peppers party? She is pretty, don’t you think she is way out of your league? Young, curvy, tall thing.”  
“She doesn’t seem to think so.” Phil smirked, he was aware of how they looked together. “But I’m aware that people must either think I am very powerful, very wealthy or have another redeeming factor and that she must be a gold-digger.”  
“She does know you are on a government income right?”  
“She makes a lot more than I do, she is a VP at Starks.”  
“Now I really don’t get it: she looks like that, she is probably smart and she makes lots of money, and she is still interested in a 20 year older guy on a government income?”  
“First of all, she is only 16 years younger, second of all she had some bad luck with men the last year, she tends to scare them away, just like you do.”  
“That’s a low-blow, Phil.”  
“I’m sorry Mel. Also I would really like to get some sleep.”  
“Sure, but this conversation is not over.”


	12. The team

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phil learns something about Rebecca he isnt sure he is okay with, Rebecca meets the team.

Chapter 12  
January 15th. Rebecca’s office. around 2 pm  
Rebecca was finishing up her yearly employee reviews, and was making a to do list in her head. If she would work late tonight and would do some work from home tomorrow, she could be done by the time she would have to get ready for her date with Phil. The her mobile phone rang. Her heart made a little jump when she read the name in the screen.  
“Hi.”  
“Hi, it’s me. I’m back in civilization. I’m currently flying somewhere over Poland.”  
“It’s good to hear from you. Everything go well?”  
“Long story, I will tell you all about it tomorrow. We are still on for tomorrow, right?”  
“Nothing has changed in that department.”  
“Sevenish?”  
“Sure.”  
“Rebecca, my team and I are going out for dinner tonight. I was wondering if you wanted to join us.”  
“Want: yes, can: no. I have to work late tonight and work tomorrow morning or I won’t be able to make our date tomorrow. If we have dinner there is no way we don’t spend the night and then you would be a distraction.”  
“Only dinner, my team really wants to meet you, I will pick you up and bring you home, I will say goodbye at the door, so you can get up early tomorrow and do some work. Will be late dinner anyway, around nine.”   
Rebecca sighed. She was looking forward to seeing him again, and it would be good not to have to wait another 29 hours to see him, but just seven. “If you put it like that, okay. I will probably be home by eight, come pick me up around half eight, quarter to nine. But no funny business. I really have to work tomorrow.” Rebecca sat down in her chair and shook her head. She would love some funny business, but he should also know that she wouldn’t be ready at his every whim.   
“I promise, no funny business, just dinner with my team. I’ll pick you up around eight-thirty.”

Rebecca’s apartment 8.15 pm  
Rebecca was just getting out of the shower when she heard the knock on the door. Knowing who it would be, she just wrapped a towel around her body and opened the door. She kissed the man on the other side of the door.   
“You’re early.”  
“Came straight from the airport. There wasn’t really a point of waiting.” He hugged her again, feeling great after a week apart. A week where he had been worried about if she would have changed her mind.  
“You look and smell great, I’m almost sorry about promising you no funny business.” Phil smiled. Rebecca looked at the clock. “It’s still early, could be a little funny business, if we’re quick.” Phil’s eyes grew at the directness of this woman, who seemed to want him just as much as he wanted her. She took his hand to lead him to her bedroom but he decided against that. “No.” He directed her to her dining table and whispered in her ear: “Bend over.”   
She did as she was told and dropped her towel. Phil tested the waters with his right hand. Finding the waters slippery enough he undid his belt and the buttons of his pants. He used his feet to make Rebecca stand a little wider. He dropped his pants and boxers. He took her hip in his left hand and moved his right hand over to her right breast. Rebecca gasped as he entered her. He moved his right hand to her hip and started moving. He could hear her breath getting ragged, he could feel her legs getting tense. The breaths turned into moans as he moved faster, feeling her clenching. She was holding on to the edge of the table, trying to find some grip. He noticed how she was doing her best not to scream as she went over the edge. He felt her legs weaken a little and moved quicker, pushing himself over too. He leaned over and kissed her between the shoulders. “Wow.” Was all he could say. “You said that right.”   
Afterwards, when Rebecca was getting dressed and Phil was having a drink on the couch, she suddenly asked him: “So, is that move part of your regular interrogation routine?”   
“What?”  
“Because I would have told you anything you wanted to know, just now.”  
“I will keep that in mind.” Phil smiled at her. “Rebecca, I would like to introduce you as my girlfriend to the team.”  
“That would be nice, but before you do that, I need to show you something, I’m giving you an out if you can’t handle it.” Rebecca walked into the bedroom, took a small box from her nightstand and gave it to Phil. Phil opened it. Inside was a beautiful white gold and diamond bracelet. The inside of the lid was engraved

Thank you for our wonderful time together. Love, T.

“Is this what I think it is? Who it’s from?” Phil was well aware of the bracelets Howard Stark and later his son Tony would give women when they wanted to end their affair.  
“Yes.”  
“When was this?”  
“Summer of 2003, I was here for about a month, felt alone and Tony was a warm lover. It was over for me before his butler brought me the bracelet and all I wanted to know after I got it was if I still had a job. I had, and Tony turned out to be a much better friend than he would have been a partner, for me anyway.”  
“Does Pepper know?”  
“I don’t know, I never told her.”  
Phil closed the lid, and grinned. “You know we all make mistakes. And this one got you a nice bracelet to boot. Don’t worry about it. Let’s go.”

A random restaurant in the city, 9.10 pm.   
Phil and Rebecca were ten minutes late to their meeting with the team and the whole team seemed to know why. Phil had his hand on her waist and Rebecca moved in unison with him. She wore flats on purpose, so Phil would be taller than her.   
“Hi guys, I would like you to meet Rebecca, my new girlfriend. Rebecca, this is Daisy, Mack, Melinda, Jemma and Leo.”  
“Nice to meet you all.” Rebecca shook all their hands.  
She sat down next to Daisy and Phil. Daisy couldn’t help but say: “He looks happier since he met you. I probably shouldn’t have told you that, but it’s the truth.” Rebecca smiled, she instantly like this woman. She knew that probably Melinda would be the biggest challenge to win over, as the woman was fiercely protective over her friends, so Phil had told her.   
She looked at Fitz and Jemma, who were having a conversation with just the two of them, she recognized the signs of pent-up love. She turned to Phil: “What’s with Leo and Jemma, just friends, or more?” “Leo believes they are cursed. Not really sure where they stand now. Don’t think it’s any of my business.” Rebecca put her head on Phil’s shoulder.   
“So Rebecca, I was wondering, don’t you think you are out of Phils league? With the looks and the job and everything.” Mel had decided to be her direct self.  
“Well, I don’t meet many men who are not turned off or scared away by the job and the money and the power, who I can just talk about my job with, without having to say “its classified” to all the time and that I actually click with. And Phil is cute too, which is another big advantage.” Rebecca smiled at Melinda, hoping that she gave the right answer.  
“You do know he is on a government income, don’t you? He might be director of shield, but it’s not like he make millions. He even lives in an apartment owned by shield.”  
“Personally, I don’t really care. I can provide for myself.”  
“Mel, it’s none of your business.”Phil interjected. “Phil, it’s okay. She is protective about her friends, she wants to know what I see in you, to make sure I won’t break your heart.” Rebecca told Phil.   
“So are you?”  
“Am I what?”  
“Going to break his heart.”  
“I wasn’t planning on it.”  
“Good, if you do, I’ll find you and kick your ass.”  
“Get in line. You can kick whatever Natasha leaves intact.”  
“Is that what she said to you at New years?” Phil asked her. “The thing that didn’t concern me.”  
“Yes.”  
“Tony threatened me with the same.” Phil whispered in her ears. Rebecca whispered back: “I guess that’s what we get from being friends with superheroes.” They smiled at each other.   
Mel kept interrogating her a bit more. When Phil tried to put a stop to it she said: “You might trust her, but we all trusted Grant. I need to be sure.”  
“I’ve had an extensive background check done, Mel, she is not Hydra. And that will be the end of it. She came here to meet you, even though she has to work tomorrow and didn’t really have time for it.”  
“Okay, I will accept her. For now.”  
The conversation got easier after that. Jemma and Leo were both interested in Rebecca’s European roots and were wondering if she ever visited England and Scotland. Rebecca told them that she had a soft spot for Cornwall, but she never got to visit Scotland, as most of her trips abroad were to her family.  
On the way back Phil started to apologize for Mel’s behaviour.  
“No need to apologize Phil, you didn’t do anything wrong, and you know, I can take care of myself. I like her being protective of you. You mean a lot to her. You can learn a lot about somebody by getting to know their friends.”  
He dropped her off at her door, just as he had promised. She kissed him goodnight and went to bed. As the day had been an emotional rollercoaster sleep wouldn’t come easy. The call, agreeing to go meet his friends, the mind-bending sex. Phil wanting to make it official, she letting herself be totally vulnerable, telling him that she was one of the women who had an affair with Tony. Phil being okay with that. Mel interrogating her. She wished Phil was with her, she was sure he would be able to make her sleep easier.   
Phils apartment. Midnight.  
So he had said it was okay that she had had an affair with Tony. Was he okay with it? He knew he didn’t want to lose her over something that happened 12 years ago. He knew Rebecca and Tony weren’t in love, they probably never were. He had used her and she had used him. Why did it bother him that much then? Was it because Tony Stark was there before him. He knew that their relationship was different from the affair Tony and Rebecca had had. His head knew that it had meant nothing, but his heart was feeling it differently. He knew he had to talk to her about it, if it weren’t going to eat him up on the inside.


	13. Burgers and a movie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phil speaks up about his concerns, Rebecca makes a confession.

Chapter 13  
January 16th.   
Phil’s apartment 6.50 pm  
Rebecca knocked on the door of Phil’s apartment. She had worked all day at home and was glad she could see Phil. He opened the door and smiled. She gave him the six-pack of beers she had gotten him, not Heineken, but another Dutch brand, which she preferred. He gave her a kiss and let her enter the apartment. From the hall there were 5 doors. One was open and took her to the living room with kitchen. She guessed the rest were bedrooms and a bathroom.   
“Do you mind if I take my shoes off? These heels are killing me.”  
“No, of course not.” Rebecca started taking her shoes off.  
“I took the liberty to order for you, cheeseburger with pickles.”  
“Sounds great, thank you.”  
“We need to talk.”  
“Okay.”  
“I do feel a little bothered by the bracelet.”   
“About the bracelet or what happened before it.”  
“Both. Rationally I know it wasn’t a big deal, but it doesn’t feel like it. If it was nothing why have you kept the bracelet?” He sounded hard.  
“Have I ever been anything but be completely vulnerable towards you, Phil? I don’t know if there is anything I can say that will make you change the way you feel.”   
“What happened?”  
“Like I told you I was here for about a month. I didn’t know anyone here, so when Tony invited me for drinks I felt flattered. And when he instigated a physical relationship, I felt like it was a good way to chase the loneliness for a while.” Rebecca was chocking up.  
“How long?” Rebecca felt like she was being interrogated.  
“Three, four weeks.”  
“Was it good, I mean the sex?”  
“Do you want an honest answer or an answer that won’t hurt you?” Rebecca was close to crying but she was determined to ride this out. If she left now, she would close the door on a future with Phil.   
“Honest.”  
“Of course it was good.”  
“Better than me?” Rebecca cringed, she should have expected that question.  
“No, different, but not better.”  
“What was different about it? ” Phil was almost screaming.  
Rebecca started sobbing: “Because I’m in love with you, you idiot.”  
These words softened Phil. He looked at Rebecca, her makeup was all runny. She had really put herself out there. He walked up to her and put his arms around her. He kissed her forehead. At that moment there was a knock on the door. He let go. “Bathroom?” Rebecca asked. He pointed her to a door in the hallway and she took her bag inside while he went to pay for the burgers. She stood there leaning on the washbasin. She smiled at herself sadly. She looked like a panda. At least Phil didn’t seem angry anymore. After she had removed her makeup she was deliberating whether she was going to put it on again. She decided to do it anyway. She had bared her heart for him, baring her face would be a little too much.   
Phil paid for the burgers and thought about what he had done. He had become angry at this woman, about nothing. She had told him she was in love with him. Of course the thing with Tony had meant nothing. He hoped she could forgive him. He set the table and waited for her to come out of the bathroom. When she finally did, eyes still red, he quickly said: “I am so sorry.” She smiled at him. “Apology accepted. Can we leave this topic now. It’s upsetting both of us and I would like to have a nice dinner.” “Agreed.” “So tell me about your mission in Russia. Well, the part which I am allowed to know.”  
He told her about his mission and after they ate their burgers they watched a movie, sitting next to each other on Phil’s couch, a bottle of red wine on the table. He had put his arm around her, she had put her legs under her body and her head on his shoulder. By the time the movie had ended, Phil found her asleep. So Phil picked her up carried her to his bedroom. He took of her pants and top, so she would be comfortable and laid her on the bed. He crawled in next to her, and, after watching her sleep for a while, fell asleep himself.


	14. Perfect sunday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rebecca wakes up and doesnt know where she is.

Chapter 14  
January 17th  
Phil’s apartment. 6 am.  
Rebecca woke in Phil’s bedroom. She was disoriented at first. She had no idea where she was. It was dark, her clothes were off, but not her underwear. She could hear someone breathing besides her. Then it all came back. Sleeping next to her was Phil. She must be in Phil’s bedroom, but how did she get here? Did she fall asleep during the movie. She couldn’t remember the ending of it. Phil had been a perfect gentleman. Making sure she was comfortable, but not taking anything off she might be uncomfortable with. She looked at him. He looked so innocent. She got up and walked toward the door of what she thought might be the en suite bathroom. She used the toilet, decided to take of the remnants of her makeup and went back in the bathroom. She took off her bra, as she always hated sleeping in them and crawled back in to bed. Phil stirred and she moved over so he could spoon her. He put her arm around her and nuzzled her neck. She closed her eyes and went to sleep again.  
About two hours later Rebecca woke as Phil got up. She turned around and saw him disappear in the bathroom. She sat up and watched him come back.  
“Good morning.”She smiled at him  
“Good morning. Guess we finally pulled it off.” He walked back toward the bed, sat down and kissed her.  
“Guess we did.”  
“Want some coffee?”  
“There is something I would like more.” She kissed him again and put her arms around his neck.  
“Okay.” Phil smirked and kissed her back, laying her on her back.  
Thirty minutes later he asked her again if she wanted some coffee.  
“Sure.” She went into the bathroom again and deliberated again if she was going to reapply her makeup. She decided not to. She did decide to brush her teeth. She picked up Phil’s shirt from yesterday and put it on. Dressing in her clothes may look like she was going to leave soon.  
She entered his living room fresh faced and watched him make coffee in his boxers and T-shirt. She loved the way he looked. He had a great body, for a man his age, but even for a man twenty years younger. She had gone out with many men who were less fit. She looked at the shape of his legs and approved. He noticed her watching him and smirked at her.  
“Enjoying the view?”  
“Uhuh.”  
“Got you some coffee. I like the shirt.” He handed her a cup of coffee and kissed her.  
“You should. It’s yours.” She took a sip of coffee. “Want me to cook you some breakfast?” She asked.  
“Unfortunately there is hardly anything in the fridge. I didn’t really have time to do some grocery shopping yesterday.” Rebecca opened the fridge. “Eggs and bananas. All I need! Got some cinnamon?” Phil was a bit surprised. He wasn’t used to women cooking in his kitchen, let alone women who were creative with few ingredients. He opened a drawer and found cinnamon. “You don’t happen to have some grated coconut, that would make my banana pancakes especially good.” Phil laughed “No, I don’t.”  
They spend the day in comfortable companionship. Around 6 pm Phil wondered if they should go out for dinner.  
“Well, if we could stop by my place first, I should really get changed.”  
“You don’t think you can go out to dinner in my shirt?”  
“No, I can’t. We can find a nice place near my apartment to eat.”  
“Okay, but I can’t sleep over tonight, I have a really early morning tomorrow.”  
“That’s okay. Could do with an early start myself.”  
They went to her apartment in Lola, she got changed and put some light makeup on. They went to some nice Italian place, a block away from her.  
“Rebecca, I don’t know how to bring this up.”  
“Bring what up?” She was hoping it wasn’t the stark thing again.  
“I need to report our relationship and get it classified.”  
“I know. It just bothers me I can’t tell my friends about us. I have been avoiding them since New Year’s.”  
“Let me get some special clearance for them, I’ll have a background check done, should be done in a week tops.”  
“Let me know when it’s done, so I can have dinner with my girls.” She had said the last word a bit sarcastically.  
They finished their dinner and Phil dropped her off at her door. He kissed her goodnight.  
“Its mutual by the way.”  
“What is?”  
“I’m head over heels with you.” Rebecca could not help but grin over his confession. After she had closed the door, she thought how this had been the perfect Sunday. Yesterday had been a bit emotionally exhausting, but today was just perfect.


	15. The white flash

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rebecca goes for dinner with her friends. It doesnt end well...

Chapter 15  
Saturday 23rd   
A restaurant in SoHo. 7pm   
Phil had texted Rebecca on Wednesday that her friends were cleared. She had texted them immediately to set up dinner for Saturday.   
“Okay, you have ignored us long enough, tell us everything about Mr. Unafraid.” Carolyn started “Starting with whether if it’s true men in their fifties are lacking something or if he makes up for it with experience.”  
“You start out by asking if he is good in bed?” Rebecca laughed.   
“Well, I would like to know his name, and why we needed to be cleared to know about who he is.” Mary said.  
“His name is Phil Coulson.”  
“Is that who I think it is?” Mary asked, “Director of Shield.”  
“Uhuh.” Rebecca started blushing.  
“Wow, that really is a match made in heaven. Now I get that he is not afraid. He is a cutie too, I have seen him on TV.”  
“Now we got that out of the way, how is the sex?” Carolyn asked.  
“Great.” Rebecca turned redder. “He likes to be in control, which I prefer, because it’s good to relinquish control once in a while, he isn’t lacking anything, but he does have the added experience, which makes for a very compelling combination.”  
Rebecca told them about the New year’s Party, about how he had decided not to go into her room, about their first date, about running into Matt and Christie, her friends were equally appalled about her pregnancy, about the dinner at her place and what happened after, how her mother showed up and that she was glad that he was called away, she told them about meeting his team and about burgers and a movie after. She didn’t tell them about the bracelet though, or the fight it instigated. She told them about the perfect Sunday they had, she told them she was head over heels with this gentleman, who she knew by reputation was a true bad-ass, expert at martial arts and strategic operations.   
“It’s like having a relationship with James Bond, but it looks like this one can keep it in his pants.” Carolyn said.   
“It’s very exciting, yes.” Rebecca told them.   
Rebecca came home from dinner and walked from the cab to her building. Then a sharp pain in her head, a bright white flash and nothing.   
The doctors called Pepper as she was listed as her emergency contact. Pepper called Phil before she left for the hospital.  
“Phil Coulson.”  
“Phil, its Pepper, Rebecca is in the hospital. It’s serious.”  
“What’s going on?”  
“She got mugged on the street, she’s in a coma.”  
“Have you called her parents?”  
“No not yet.”  
“I will call them. If I get them to New York, can one of Tony’s town cars pick them up? Also maybe they can stay in one of your guest rooms?”  
“Sure, just let me know when they will be arriving.”  
Phil called the office, and arranged for two agents to pick Rebecca’s parents up and a flight from Schiphol to JFK.   
He looked at the time, almost midnight. It would be around 6 am in the Netherlands, it would be early, but not the middle of the night anymore. He decided to call her parents.   
“Good morning, Wills speaking.”  
“Mr. Wills, this is Phil Coulson, I have to inform you your daughter is in the hospital.”  
“Is it serious?”  
“Yes, she is in a coma, I have arranged for you to be picked up by two of my agents in two hours. You will be brought to the airport where a private-shield airplane will take you to JFK, where you will be picked up by a driver from Stark Industries. You can stay in one of Tony Starks guest rooms. But first you will be brought to the hospital.”  
“Thank you. I will wake my wife and start packing.”  
“I will keep you informed.”  
“Phil, Rebecca told my wife you were experienced in emergency situations, it really shows now.”  
“Thank you. I will probably be at the hospital when you arrive, I’m going there now.”  
After he hung up he called Maria. He asked her to inform his team, delegate as much of his work to others and told her that he would be in touch on Monday. He took a taxi to the hospital, where he flashed his badge to get entry to her room. She was given a private room in the Tony Stark and Pepper Potts wing of the hospital. She was admitted as a VIP, which was of little comfort. The doctors were finished treating her, they told him only time would tell. He hated seeing her in that hospital bed. There was a tube down her throat and she was hooked up to all kinds of machines.   
Pepper was sitting in a chair, Tony was standing next to her. Pepper stood up and walked up to Phil to hug him.   
“I am so sorry.”  
“I am too. If you want to go home, I’ll stay with her.”  
“Did you reach her parents?”  
“Yes I did, they will probably arrive around noon.”   
Tony said: “Pepper, there is nothing we can do for her here. Let’s go home arrange for the car and room and get some sleep. We will be back here tomorrow.”  
After Tony and Pepper had left, Phil sat down in the chair and tried to get some sleep. The chair wasn’t really comfortable and a nurse who came by asked him if she could make him a bed in the guest room.   
“We will inform you as soon as something changes.”  
“Okay.”


	16. coma

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rebecca is in a coma, Phil abuses his power to stay with her.

Chapter 16   
January 24th Hospital.   
He tried to get some sleep, but I didn’t come easy. When he woke up he didn’t know where he was. Then it hit him. He was in the hospital. Rebecca was in a coma. Her parents would arrive soon. He couldn’t but contemplate the contrast of this Sunday to last week. Last week everything seemed perfect, this week he wondered if it would ever be okay again.   
He went back to her room, where he was offered some breakfast. He got a file out of his briefcase and started reading the report about an incident last week. After about an hour the attending came in.   
“Good morning, I am doctor Richardson, who might you be.”  
“I am Phil Coulson, Rebecca’s boyfriend.” The word tasted odd in his mouth.   
“Only next of kin is allowed in the room.”  
“Well, you could allow me in the room, or I will flash my badge and you will legally have to allow me in the room.” Phil was not going to be send away. He would abuse his authority as director of shield to be able to stay with her. He felt bad about it, but he would do anything to stay. “Her parents are on their way, but until then I’m staying, either as her boyfriend or as the director of shield.” The doctor wielded.   
“Okay, I am not going to fight you on this. I will ask you to leave the room until I have checked her out.”  
“Of course.”  
When the doctor came back, he told her that Rebecca was stable and out of danger, but he didn’t know if and when she would wake up. The longer she remained in the coma, the smaller the chance that she would come out. He had no idea if there would be any permanent brain damage.   
“We will do a CT scan and an MRI after she has stabilized some more.”  
After the doctor left, Phil got another file out of his briefcase, put on his glasses and started reading. His phone buzzed. Pepper had created a whatsApp group about Rebecca with her, Tony, Phil, Rebecca’s parents and some close friends in it.   
[Rebecca is stable, doctors will give her a CT and MRI later.] Phil decided to send a message to reassure everyone. A flood of messages came in response. He responded as well as he could and when the flood lessened started to read his file again. A nurse brought him some lunch around one.  
[Rebecca’s parents have been picked up from the airport. If you don’t want to meet them yet, you could still get away. Tony]  
[I promised her father I would be here. I would look like a really bad guy if I would make myself scare, wouldn’t I.]  
Half an hour later two people in their mid to late sixties arrived. Mr. Wills was a tall blond man with a moustache, slightly overweight. He wore kakis and a blue shirt. Mrs. Wills was a woman of average height with grey hair. She wore kakis and a wool jumper. They were clearly experienced travellers who knew how to dress comfortable for a flight. Phil took of his reading glasses, stood up and walked towards the couple. He shook their hands and introduced himself.   
“Mr. and Mrs. Wills, I am Phil Coulson.”  
“Arnold Wills, my wife Margaret.”  
“I am sorry we have to meet in these circumstances.”  
“How is she?”  
“She is stable. They will do a CT scan and an MRI later. I will leave you alone now.” He started picking up his things.   
“You don’t have to leave.” Said Margaret. “I know she is really fond of you and would prefer if you stayed. Also we would like to get to know you better.”   
“All right, I’ll stay.” Phil felt very uncomfortable. He knew Rebecca wasn’t ready for him to meet her parents and he had hoped to limit the contact to a minimum. But extreme circumstances were extreme circumstances.   
Rebecca’s mother started what he would call an interrogation. About his job, his family, how he got recruited into shield, whether he had been married before. Phil decided to be honest and answer all her questions. Rebecca’s father just sat next to his daughter, holding her hand. Phil did notice Arnold was observing him. He guessed those were their roles. She would talk and question, he would observe.   
“So is it true that you are considered one of the Avengers?”  
“Not really, I recruited some of them, and when they thought I was dead, they came together.”  
“They thought you were dead.”  
“It was only for eight seconds, but to be honest, that is classified.”  
“I understand.” Rebecca’s mother was more that used to hearing it’s classified when it concerned her daughter.  
“Rebecca’s brother is a big fan of captain America.”  
“So am I.” Phil smiled. Talking about the superheroes surrounding them would be a more comfortable topic.   
“Is it true you all hang out, socially?”  
“Rebecca tends to spend time with Tony and Pepper, she knows the rest though. I do spend time with Natasha and Clint, but recently I try to spend all my time off work with a certain red-head.” He couldn’t repress a smirk. “But if you don’t mind, I would really like to go home, get a shower and change now. I have been here since one in the morning and I do have some work to do if I want to spend most of my time in the hospital in the near future.”  
“That’s all right.”  
Rebecca’s father started talking as soon as Phil left.   
“It is obvious he cares for her. I am just not sure if I am happy that my daughter is dating a man who needs reading glasses.”  
“It’s her choice, Arnold, and he is a nice man, who as you said, cares for our daughter. Maybe we need to accept it.”  
“Maybe she’s just on the rebound.”  
“I would have preferred to have seen her with a man her own age too, maybe have a chance at starting a family. But as long as he makes her happy, who are we to not accept.”


	17. The bracelet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pepper finds the something in Rebecca´s nightstand.

Chapter 17  
January 30th   
Rebecca’s apartment.   
Rebecca hadn’t come out of her coma. Pepper had decided that because Rebecca did have to move to her new apartment, she would ask her mother and Carolyn to pack her personal things like her clothes and the contents of her nightstands and desk. A moving company could pack her books and kitchen stuff. Carolyn and Margaret were hanging Rebecca’s dresses on a clothing rack, and after Pepper had cleared out her desk, she started to unpack Rebecca’s nightstand. She was glad she could do something for her friend, something practical, instead of sitting next to her bed in the hospital. She was very worried. She was worried about Phil too, he clearly hadn’t been sleeping much, staying in the hospital for most nights, making sure her parents could get some rest too. He had big blue bags under his eyes, trying to get some work done during the day and staying in the hospital at night. He didn’t talk much about it with her.   
Pepper found her parents to be sweet people. Her mother was very happy to start packing Rebecca’s things, probably also happy to just do something practical instead of waiting around. Her father had become a little impatient. He was used to do all the paperwork and arrange things like insurance, but his lack of knowledge of the American system left him with nothing to do. He just wondered whether she was sufficiently insured for the VIP treatment. Tony had told him that all the medical bills would be taken care of, either by the insurance or by him.   
Pepper started to pack up the jewellery in the nightstand. When her hand came across a box, her heart stopped. Could it be? She opened the box and tears came to her eyes. She recognized the bracelet and the inscription left nothing to her imagination. She took the box out and sat down on the bed. Suddenly she wasn’t worried anymore. She was angry. When did her best friend and her boyfriend have a fling? Was it during their relationship? Why didn’t either of them never tell her. She felt so betrayed.   
“Fuck this.” Pepper couldn’t hold back the swearing. Margaret turned around. “What’s wrong?” Margaret saw Pepper sitting on the bed, holding a box. “What’s that?”  
“I don’t think Rebecca would want you to see this. I don’t think Rebecca would have wanted me to see this.”  
“What is it?” The older woman became a little more stern. Pepper gave the box to Margaret. “I have to go call my boyfriend.” Margaret took the box. She was unsure if she should open it, knowing it was something very private. But if it was something that would make Pepper so angry with her best friend, it must have been something important and her curiosity won over. She read the inscription:   
Thank you for our wonderful time together. Love, T.  
She showed it to Carolyn saying: “I don’t get it.”  
“Oh my god! If this is what I think it is, and it probably is, Pepper has the right to be furious.” She looked at Rebecca’s mother, deliberating if she should tell her that her daughter had a affair with Tony Stark. “This is the bracelet Tony Stark used to give to women to end their affair. I had no idea that Rebecca had an affair with Tony. I really should go see if Pepper is all right.”  
Margaret was left standing there with the box in her hands. There was so much she didn’t seem to know about her daughter. First Phil, and now Tony.   
Carolyn found Pepper in the kitchen shouting at the phone. “When Tony, when did you fuck Rebecca.” “…” “Don’t lie to me about it, I found the bracelet.” “…” “You could say that, Tony, now answer my question.” “…” The answer seemed to soothe her a little. “Why have neither of you ever told me. It’s very unfair of you.” “…” “Yes, we will talk some more about it when we get home. Until this is resolved, and I get the exact same answer from her as I got from you, you will not see her.” Pepper hung up the phone and looked at Carolyn and Margaret who had walked in the kitchen, hearing the fight over the phone. “Twelve and a half years ago, just after she got here, he was the man-whore he was, she was lonely. He says it was before we met. Sorry I have to go now. I am just too angry with both Tony and Rebecca.” Carolyn nodded. Margaret walked up toward her daughters best friend.   
“I am sorry my daughter caused you pain.” She put her arms around Pepper, like a mother would. Pepper stepped away from Rebecca’s mother and said: “Thanks. I’m leaving now.” She grabbed her purse and coat and left the building, with tears in her eyes.


	18. Waking up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rebecca wakes up

Chapter 18  
February 3rd, around noon,  
Rebecca’s hospital room.   
Rebecca tried to open her eyes. Her vision was blurry. She was lying in a white room, she had no idea where she was. She tried to speak, but there was something in her mouth. Suddenly she heard her mother’s voice: “Oh my god, I think she is waking up.” There were men and women in white coats around her, testing her. Apparently she was in a hospital. They took the thing out of her mouth, thank god. Her throat felt sore. What had happened? She remembered dinner with her friends, the taxi-ride home, the sharp pain. Oh, my god what had happened? One of the doctors told her that she would have some trouble talking for the time being. Where was her mom? What the hell, was her mother here? It must have been more serious than she thought. Where was Phil? She really wanted to see Phil, telling her it would be okay. She would believe him if he would tell her.   
After the doctors had finished their work her mother came back into the room. She looked relieved. “Hi sweetie. Please don’t talk, just listen. You are in the hospital. You were mugged after you had dinner with your friends. You have been in a coma for ten days. We met Phil. I like him, he seems to really care for you. He is wrapping up his monthly meeting with the president as we speak, he will be here in a couple of hours. We moved your things to your new apartment. Pepper helped pack and she is angry about the bracelet. She wants to ask you a question about it. She hasn’t let Tony visit you since she found out. I must say I am concerned about you.”   
Oval office, around that same time.   
Phil received the text about Rebecca waking up while talking to the president. He had programmed his phone that he would only receive messages in the group concerning her health.   
“I am so sorry Barack, but I have to cut this meeting short.”  
“Shield emergency?”The president asked.  
“No, personal one, my girlfriend just came out of her coma.”  
“Phil, I didn’t even know you were seeing someone. After what happened to Rosalind.”  
“Yeah, well, it’s very new. It will be somewhere in the monthly report though.”  
The president leaved through the report. “I will read it this afternoon. But first we have to get you to New York as quickly as possible. Let me call for a helicopter, it will bring you directly to the hospital.”  
Phil send a text to Rebecca’s mother.  
[Cutting the meeting short, president is arranging for helicopter. Will be there in about two hours.].  
Rebecca’s room, about thirty minutes later.   
Pepper walked in the room. She looked more relieved than angry. She had felt her anger melt after she heard that Rebecca had woken up. Obviously it had been easier to be angry at her friend than worried sick. Now she didn’t have to be so worried anymore, she was less angry.   
“Pepper.” Rebecca said, her throat still sore. Rebecca knew exactly why Pepper was here. Margaret and Arnold left the room, giving them some privacy.   
“I am sorry.”  
“When?”  
“It happened just after I arrived in New York, I was lonely, I hardly knew anybody, I used Tony just as much as he used me.”  
“What year.”  
“2003, summer.”  
Pepper seemed to relax. Tony had told her the truth, the affair had been ended long before Pepper had met either of them.   
“I will leave it for now, as you need to rest. But we will talk about it when you get better.”  
“Sure, I will tell you anything you want to know.” Pepper left and Rebecca drifted away again. She woke from a familiar voice speaking her name. She opened her eyes and saw Phil, in full agent mode with his tailored suit and his sunglasses still on.   
“Hey sleeping beauty.” She couldn’t help but smile.  
“Hi there, secret agent man.” Rebecca couldn’t get over how great he looked. She had never seen him like this. He had looked great in his tux, but Phil in agent mode was another sight to behold. Phil walked up to her and kissed her on the forehead.   
“You had me worried.” Phil took off his sunglasses and Rebecca saw the dark blue bags under his eyes.   
“Wow, Phil, you look terrible.” Phil laughed.   
“Have you looked in a mirror yourself lately? You don’t look so great yourself.”   
“They won’t let me get out of bed, let alone go to the bathroom and see myself in a mirror, like I haven’t been inactive enough the last ten days.”  
“How are you feeling?”  
“My head and throat hurt. My muscles feel weak, but I guess I’m okay”


	19. Dinner with friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pepper and Tony come over for dinner, confessions are being made.

Chapter 19  
March 12th  
Rebecca’s apartment around 7pm  
In the weeks after that Rebecca was released from the hospital, she moved to her new apartment, her parents went back home and she and Phil found some comfortable routine. He stayed over at her place on Friday and Saturday. She stayed at his place on Monday and Wednesday. She and Pepper had an open conversation about what happened in the summer of 2003 and all was well again between them. Rebecca started working half days on the 15th of February and full days on the 29th. She had been tired a lot, had some headaches, but the doctors had told her that was to be expected. She didn’t seem to have any residual brain damage, so that was good. She was feeling better and better so she had invited Tony and Pepper over for dinner. Phil was doing some work in the smallest of the bedrooms of her new apartment, which was her new office. Rebecca was cooking from Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking, her favourite cookbook, the one she always went to when she felt overwhelmed in her life. The recipes were often so intricate that there would be no room in her brains to worry about anything else. Not that there seemed to be much to worry about, her work was going better every day, her relationship with Phil was going fantastic, her parents seemed to accept her relationship (she did get cross-examined by her mother about Tony and the bracelet though) and her social life was great. But she did seem to worry more after the mugging. She felt less at ease, more on guard.   
She was really happy with her new apartment. The doorman was great, and it did make her feel safer. The kitchen was fantastic. She had an office now instead of a desk by the window. She had her own bedroom and a guest bedroom. There was enough room in her new wardrobe to have some space left for a spare suit and shirt for Phil. She loved the high ceilings and the original ornaments. She loved the huge windows that overlooked a nice street. If she would stand on a chair on a certain point she swore she could see central park. Phil had said that was nonsense, but she had liked the idea.   
There was a call from the doorman that Tony Stark and Pepper Potts had arrived.   
“Should I let them in?”  
“Well Mr. Stark does own the building.” Rebecca replied.   
“Okay, I will send them up.” Rebecca walked up to her office, knocked on the door, stuck her head around the door and told Phil company had arrived.   
Tony and Pepper had brought them some wine and they settled in easy conversation. Between the main and dessert Pepper suddenly said: “I do have a little confession to make.”  
“Oh, do tell.” Phil answered.   
“Well Rebecca, you remember that day before Christmas I promised you I was not going to set you up anymore. Well, I lied.”  
“You are just saying that because I finally met someone nice and I kind of met him through you.” Rebecca couldn’t help but suppress a smile.   
“No, it took me quite some difficulty to get the two of you at the same table, well getting the both of you at the gala, neither of you were planning of going at first. Then Tony got the idea of visiting you in Phil’s head and told him about your favourite coffee. At the New Year’s party we had a discrete waiter give you refills so you could keep talking and we made sure your rooms were opposite to each other to make a possible walk of shame as short as possible. It were just nudges, and you did the rest yourself, but it was a setup.”  
“I kind of feel manipulated.” Phil sat back and crossed his arms. “What if I hadn’t been ready for someone new after what happened to Rosalind.”  
“To be honest I wasn’t really thinking about you. I just wanted Becca here to meet a nice man and you fit the profile.”  
“You made a profile for men to set me up with?” Rebecca was shocked. “My love-life is not a toy.” She was standing up to get the dessert out the kitchen. “I’m not really sure you two deserve this.” The pie she brought out made her look like a veritable Martha Stewart.   
“They don’t, but it would be a waste to throw it away.” Phil was still grumpy, feeling manipulated and a plaything in the hands of the power couple.   
“I am sorry Phil, if you feel like I didn’t take your feelings into account. We did think she might be able to get your mind of Rosalind.” Tony said. “Maybe take off the sharp edges after what happened on Maveth.” Rebecca started slicing up the pie and giving pieces to everyone.  
“It’s okay to set people up if you tell them you are setting them up, it’s not okay to put two people together and experiment with little nudges and manipulations to see what happens. We are not lab rats.” Phil said.   
“I must say I feel a little betrayed.” Rebecca said. “You promised me.”  
Pepper just responded without thinking. “Well, then you know how it feels to feel betrayed by your best friend.” Everyone got silent, Tony almost chocked on his pie, Phil slowly put his utensils down. Rebecca tried to think about what to say. “Okay, you are right, me not telling you I slept with Tony 12 years ago is worse than you not telling us we were being set up. And I must say it was the best setup you arranged ever.” Rebecca tried to make the conversation light-hearted again. “Guess that profile really worked. Can you tell me more about it?” Pepper started eating again, looked at Tony and nodded her head.   
“Powerful, smart, not afraid of a powerful woman, his own full life. He should have a fondness of vintage things. Preferably a gentleman, but with a dangerous side. And for Phil we liked a woman who could hold her own, was powerful and very good at her job, just as he likes them, a woman who can take care of herself, provide for herself, but was also vulnerable, feminine. Someone who he could really be attracted to physically. Were we wrong? Maybe the timing was a bit off for you Phil, and maybe Pepper promised you not to set you up anymore Rebecca, but the important thing is that it all worked out in the end.” Rebecca smiled, kissed Phil on the cheek, got up and put her arms around Pepper. “Thanks.” Pepper answered the hug. “You’re welcome sweetie.”  
“Well, now were making confessions, I have one last one to make.” Phil said. “The first time I saw Rebecca I thought Tony had gotten me a very expensive escort. I was promised a very interesting person next to me by Tony and then a beautiful woman in a fantastic dress comes walking my way, I had no idea that you were you.” Rebecca blushed. “I have no idea if I have to take that as a compliment of an insult.”   
“Well you did look absolutely stunning that evening.” Pepper responded, trying to hold in her laugh.   
“I must say I was pleasantly surprised that you weren’t. I prefer a woman with substance, who spends time with me because she wants to, not because she is being paid by Tony Stark.”  
“Hey, the women I pay for can be very interesting, too.” Tony reacted fake-insulted. “Ouch.”   
“Well at least it was a very expensive escort.” Rebecca smiled. “Nothing trashy about that right? Maybe just Phil’s dirty mind.”


	20. booty call

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a chapter that links the previous with the next one.

Chapter 20  
March 15th   
Rebecca’s apartment. Around 11 pm.   
Rebecca felt hot and bothered. She tried to help herself, but it just left her feeling empty. It was one of the nights she and Phil both slept at their own place, but Rebecca was thinking about making an exception. She decided to text him.  
[How do you feel about booty calls.]  
[Depends who, when and the amount of alcohol involved.]  
[me, now, one glass of wine]  
[I’ll be waiting, was still working anyway.]  
She quickly put on some jeans and a shirt, a warm coat and comfortable shoes. She grabbed her purse and left her apartment. It was just a ten minute walk to Phil’s place, the streets were still busy so she felt safe walking the streets this late. Arriving at his building, the doorman let her in without calling Phil, as he knew her, he also knew she had her own key. She took the lift to the 7th floor and walked to the eight by the stairs. It was a precautionary measure she had agreed on with Phil. Around 11.30 she knocked on Phil’s door. He was wearing jeans, a T-shirt and a cardigan. He was still wearing his reading glasses.   
“Hey there honey, must say I was surprised by your text. Haven’t had a booty call in well, 20, 25 years.” Rebecca just responded by kissing him and moving him slowly in the apartment. She kicked the door closed. “I didn’t come here to talk sweetie.” She winked at him and took his hand, leading him to the bedroom. “I understand the basics of a booty call.” Phil said with a smile in his voice, letting her lead him to the bedroom.


	21. Hydra

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hydra makes a move.

Chapter 21   
March 16th  
She returned early in the morning. The spare clothing in Phil’s wardrobe were not suited to her meeting the next day and she had left some reports at her apartment she needed for said meeting. She walked home as it was only three blocks and she liked the still of night of New York around 5 am. The city was never silent, but this was as good as it got.   
About halfway to her own apartment she felt someone was following her. She walked a little faster. The person behind her also sped up. Then, there was another man, coming from the other side, a car opened its doors and the two men grabbed her. Rebecca tried to fight the men. But they were stronger and she was thrown in the car. She did her best to remain conscious, trying to imprint every detail of her captors, of where they were taking her. She hoped there would be a chance to tell someone, give them clues.   
They drove around for about an hour, maybe they drove around in circles, it wasn’t really clear to her. When they stopped the put a blindfold on her. She was walked down into a basement. She tried to pick up on as many details as she could. Noises, smells, she counted the steps down into the basement. She figured she was in an urban area. Probably still New York. She smelt the taste of food, Middle Eastern or North African, she guessed she was in a commercial district with restaurants and bars, not a residential area. The basement was only ten steps down. She thought it might be one of those buildings where you have to take a couple of steps up for the main floor.   
She was put in a chair, her hands tied behind her back. She felt how a man approached her. Her blindfold was pulled away. A man, in his forties, wearing casual clothing, but with a military posture stood before her.   
“Such a great prize. Phil Coulson’s lover, with a high clearance herself. You have no idea how great a prize you are.” Rebecca kept silent.   
“You have so many advantages. If you will not talk, I will just threaten your favourite director with your safety. My employers will be very happy that we acquired you.” Rebecca had a feeling she knew who these employers would be. HYDRA.   
“If you just answer my questions and give me the information I need to know, nothing will happen to you and we will let you go without harm done. First of all we would really like to know what happened on Maveth, what happened to Grant Ward, also we would like to know the location of the new Shield HQ.” Rebecca swallowed. She didn’t know either of the pieces of information the man wanted. Which was good, it would mean she wouldn’t be giving up any information they wanted, even if she would break. It was also bad, because they would hurt her to try to break her.   
“I can tell you straight away. I don’t know either of those things. Phil and I tend to keep work and personal life separate.” The man hit her with the palm of his hand. It stung and she could feel her cheek getting red and hot, but it wasn’t bad. “Don’t lie to me, you bitch.”  
Peppers office/Phil’s office around 11 pm  
Pepper was getting worried. Rebecca was never late for work, and she was especially conscientious when it came to important meetings. She was already an hour late and she had not send a text or called. She didn’t pick up her phone or react to Peppers texts. Pepper decided to call Phil.   
“Phil, have you seen Rebecca? She hasn’t turned up for her meeting and she doesn’t answer her phone.”  
Phil was instantly worried. He went into agent-mode. “Rebecca left my house around five this morning, she was going to walk home, get changed and pick up the reports for her meeting. Have you called the doorman of her building? We need to know whether she arrived home.”   
“I will call the doorman. If she has arrived, do you have the chance to go check on her as you have a key?”  
“Sure.”   
Two minutes later Phil received an anonymous e-mail. It was a video of man saying he had Rebecca. Then there was a shot of Rebecca. Her face was bruised, her lip was split and a trickle of blood came from her mouth. “Talk to him.” The man said, his voice sounded harsh.   
“Phil, remember that time we went to Atlantic city, in that pretty hotel. It was on the second floor, we drank the complete minibar and ordered food, north African or middle eastern. If I get out of this we will go there again.” The man came back into view and threatened Rebecca’s life if Phil wouldn’t give into his demands.  
Phil recognized the code he and Rebecca had agreed to immediately. They had talked about what they would happen if something like this would occur. He called his team and showed them the video.   
“As you might have guessed, she gave us some clues in code. Leo get us a map of new York.” He pointed at the map. “She was taken somewhere between here and here, get me the images of the security camera’s on the route so we can get an exact location. She said it was about an hour drive from where she was captured. If she was taken around 5 am, that makes the circle quite large.” Leo programmed a circle on the screen. “She is being held in a basement, somewhere in a district with bars and restaurants.” Leo programmed some other spots in the map. “An Middle eastern or North African restaurant in the neighbourhood.” There were less spots, but it was too much to search the whole area. “Daisy, use your skills and try to find out where the email was send from. Let’s see if we can make the search area a bit smaller. Mel and Mack, get ready to make a move at my signal. Get an extra security team to go along.”  
Everyone went their way to do as they were ordered. Phil called Pepper.  
“She hasn’t arrived home. I got an e-mail. She has been kidnapped. We are trying to find out where they are holding her.”  
“Who took her?”  
“I would think Hydra, they want to know information about Grant Ward and where our new HQ is.”  
“Well she doesn’t have that information, did you get any info on how she is doing?”  
“She is alive, beat up, but she was clearheaded, she remember the code we agreed on and we could make the search area quite a lot smaller after what she told us.”

Hydra hideout around 5pm   
Rebecca’s body was hurting. She had been sitting on this chair for hours. A bright lamp was shining on her face and they had put on some dreadful death metal on maximum volume. She wanted to sleep but knew it would be better not to, as she might have a concussion. Thus the torture devices became a good thing, because there was no way she could sleep with them. They had beat her up, interrogated her for hours. She was bruised and battered and scared. Scared they would kill her, but also scared the man would abuse his power as a man over a woman. She knew rape was a very effective torture method.   
Then she heard it. First she thought it was all in her head. It sounded like a door being kicked in. She heard shots fired. Someone came in the basement. She couldn’t see who it was, her vision unclear from the bright light in her eyes. The light was turned off, then the music. She couldn’t see anything while her eyes adjusted to the darkness. Then, a woman’s voice: “We got her.” Strong arms picking her up. She knew it wasn’t Phil, she would have recognized him, but she felt safe.   
Outside she recognized Melinda Mays voice. “Don’t drift off, Rebecca, we need you to stay awake. You might have concussion. We are taking you to Shield HQ for medical attention. Phil is there. He is really worried.” The strong arms lifted her in a black SUV with tinted windows. Melinda sat down next to her, trying to keep her awake. The SUV hastened through the dense New York traffic. Rebecca tried hard to keep conscious. She couldn’t keep up with where she was. They drove into an underground parking garage. The car stopped. Two strong arms lifted her out of the car. This time it was Phil. “Are you okay? Don’t worry, you’re safe now.” Phil tried to soothe her. “She is in shock, we need a blanket.” Someone came up with a gurney, but Phil was of no mind to let her go. “I’ll carry her to the medical ward, has Jemma been informed?” “Yes , she is waiting for you there.”   
Jemma quickly examined Rebecca, she had some bruises, a mild concussion, but no internal bleeding. She was in shock, but it looked like she was going to be okay. “You can go to sleep now, but we will be waking you up every two hours.” Rebecca’s feet were elevated, she had an extra blanket and was given oxygen and intravenous fluids. Phil hadn’t left the room during the examination. Rebecca just nodded and drifted away. She was safe.   
The playground, two hours later.  
She woke up from a voice and a hand on her shoulder. “Rebecca, it’s time to wake up. We need to check you again.” Rebecca tried to pull of the oxygen mask. “Phil?” “I’m here.” Rebecca relaxed when she heard the familiar voice. “He hasn’t left your side since you arrived. I am going to shine a light in your eyes to check if they are responsive. Also I am going to ask you some questions, you have answered the first already.” Jemma shone a light in her eyes. “Good, can you tell me what day it is?” “Is it still Wednesday? I kind of lost track of time in that basement.” “Good its Wednesday evening.” “Do you know who the president of the USA is?” “Obama, Dutch Prime minister is Rutte.” “I don’t know if the last one is right, but it sounds like you are okay. You can go back to sleep if you want, or stay awake if you prefer. I’m going to get dinner.” Jemma left the medical ward. Phil stepped up toward the hospital bed. “You shouldn’t make a habit out of this, you know.” “Before you, I hadn’t seen a doctor in five years. Now I seem to end up in the hospital every few weeks. Must be your fault.” She saw Phil flinch. “Oh, I didn’t mean to blame you. You know even though our relationship is classified, we do go out together in public, anyone could have seen us together.” “If you weren’t with me you would have never been kidnapped by Hydra.” “They would if they wanted to know something about the tech were developing. They wanted to know something about you this time, but it could just as easily have been something about me. You are not the only one with a high security clearance in this relationship.” Phil seemed to relax a little. He was feeling overwhelmed. He was blaming himself for her kidnapping, he was even thinking he should have never let her come over, maybe he should have walked her home. It would have taken him ten minutes one-way. Rebecca moved over a little, to the side where her IV was placed. “Would you please just hold me and stop blaming yourself. You came and saved me, that’s the important part.” Phil got onto the bed and lied down next to her. He put his arms around her. It didn’t take long for Rebecca to fall asleep again. Phil looked at her. The bruises on her face were bad, but she was going to be okay. He didn’t dare touch her face, afraid that he would hurt her and wake her up. Jemma walked in the door. “Ssssh, she is asleep again.” Phil whispered. “Would you like something to eat, a sandwich or something?” Phil felt he was hungry. “That would be great.”


	22. Audrey

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rebecca goes to see her family, Phil ends up in Portland.

Chapter 22  
April 2nd  
A plane above the Atlantic.   
Physically, Rebecca had healed relatively quickly from her injuries. Mentally, was another story. She had grown anxious and distrustful. She hadn’t had the time to get over the mugging, and the kidnapping had left an even bigger scar. It felt like the perfect time to take a holiday to her parents, she would start working again after she got back. She had taken the earliest flight, so she would arrive late at night local time. Phil had brought her to the airport. He had been really sweet, making sure she was well looked after when she came home from the medical ward on the playground, coming by as much as he could himself.   
She was quite happy to fly home. It would be good to see her family again. Phil had asked if he should join her, but she had said no. She was feeling a little less sure about their relationship these days and didn’t want her brothers, sisters-in-law and nephews and nieces to meet him before she was absolutely 100% sure of where this was going.   
A plane above the US Mainland  
Phil was flying to Oregon. There was this sighting of an inhuman and he wanted to track it. He was a bit worried about Rebecca, she was definitely scarred by her experiences and he wasn’t sure how to handle it. He was pondering the relationship instead of making a plan of attack. He found it difficult to get into agent-mode as Rebecca called it. He decided to make coffee and get a grip. He decided he would pick her up from the airport next week and take her to dinner at some nice place, show her how much he cared. Until then he would let it go.   
Rebecca’s parents house 10 pm (CET)  
Rebecca drove into the street where her parents lived around 10 pm local time. She parked her rental car on the driveway and got her suitcase and hand luggage out of the car. Her parents were already waiting for her at the door. She hugged her parents. She told them she was really tired.   
“I would have thought Phil would join you.” Her mother said as her father carried her luggage to the guest room.   
“He has to work, he might join me in September.”  
“I have the guest room ready for two people.”  
“Glad you like him enough for you to take him into account.”  
“Well at least I don’t have to worry about him hurting you, like I would be with that Tony.”  
Rebecca sighed. Her mother had been relentless about her affair with Tony.   
“Mom...”  
“I will stop now. Please tell me how you are. How is the concussion.”  
“Physically I am fine, mentally not so much. I don’t feel like myself.”  
“I can imagine. Just give it some time. Talk to people. How about a glass of wine?”  
“Great, I really could use that after this day. Make it a big one!”  
Her father came down and they talked about her trip, her job, Phil, and also what happened to her a couple of weeks ago. About an hour later she went to bed. Her father’s birthday was going to be celebrated tomorrow and not only her brothers were going to be there, but also a lot of other family and friends. Her parents had told her everyone was really excited to see her.   
Portland, Oregon 8 pm PST  
The inhuman threat had been a false alarm, so Phil was wrapping up his operation in a shopping mall in a suburb of Portland. He was giving orders when behind him he heard a soft voice ask: “Phil, Phil is it really you?” He would have recognized that voice everywhere and turned around to look Audrey Nathan in the eyes. “Audrey.” “They told me you were dead.” “I am sorry.” She walked up to him and touched his face. “I think you owe me an explanation.” “I do. Can I buy you a cup of coffee?” Phil called his team he would be an hour later because of unexpected complications and walked with Audrey to a small coffee place, they ordered their coffee and sat down.   
“Talk.”  
“They needed people to think I was dead, even you. The reason is classified. I am sorry I can’t tell you but that’s it.”  
“Why didn’t you come back after the reason was done?”  
“I wanted to, but you were healing and I wanted you to move on with your life.”  
“I didn’t want to move on without you.”  
“I see that you have.” Referring to the wedding ring on her finger.  
“I wouldn’t have done it if I had known you were alive. I would still give it all up for you.”  
“Audrey, you should stay with your husband.”  
“Are you seeing someone?”  
“Yes. Her name is Rebecca, she works for Stark Industries.”  
“Are you happy?”  
“Yes.” Phil didn’t tell the whole truth, that she had changed recently and that he was worried about her, but he was happy anyway.   
Audrey took a last sip of her coffee.   
“Think about it, Phil, we could be together again. Like the old times. I would really like you to consider it again. I consider you the love of my life.”  
Phil finished his coffee and without saying another word left the coffee place. He was feeling conflicted. He was really in love with Rebecca, but had had a really hard time letting go of Audrey. Apparently she had had the same trouble. He was thinking of flying to the Netherlands, just to see Rebecca, but decided against it. She should have some time to heal from everything that happened with her family, without him. He still felt guilty about what happened.


	23. Conflicted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rebecca comes home, Phil is feeling confilicted.

Chapter 23  
April 9th JFK airport 5 pm  
Rebecca had landed and was really looking forward to seeing Phil again. He had told her he would pick her up. She waited for her luggage at the conveyor belt. When she exited the gate she scanned the crowd for Phil. In the corner, wearing his sunglasses and suit, she saw him. She smiled at him, but he didn’t seem to notice her.   
“Hi sweetie.” Phil gave her a weak smile and kissed her on the cheek. “Welcome back honey. Let’s get your luggage home, you can freshen up, I have made reservations at that place we first had dinner.” Phil had thought it through a lot. If he was to forget about Audrey again he should take Rebecca to the places they had been before. Places they had fallen for each other. He drove her home in Lola and let her talk about her week with her family, hoping she didn’t notice he was feeling conflicted.   
Rebecca took a shower when she got home, and was wondering why Phil had been so quiet, maybe even a little distant. She thought it could be all in her head, she wasn’t herself after all. Maybe he was tired. Maybe it was just her being tired. She dried her hair while Phil was having a drink in her living room. She wondered why he didn’t take her offer to share the shower with her. It wasn’t something he usually said no to. He hadn’t given her more than a kiss on the cheek, normally he was much more physical. She dressed in a 1930’s Marlene Dietrich suit, put on some make up and walked into the living room.   
“Let’s go.” Phil looked up from the book he was reading, and gave her another weak smile. “Your wardrobe never ceases to amaze me.” He got and kissed her. Rebecca could feel he wasn’t really in it. In the taxi to the restaurant she observed him. He looked distant. If there was something work related he would normally talk to her. In the restaurant, after they were given the menu she decided to speak up.   
“What is wrong?”  
“Why would you say anything is wrong?” Phil tried to smile at her, trying to reassure her.  
“You are distant. Both physically and emotionally.” Phil decided Rebecca didn’t deserve to be lied to.   
“I saw Audrey” Rebecca felt a pang of shock, she knew these were dangerous waters.   
“Did she see you?”  
“Yes.” Phil remained calm, too calm for Rebecca’s taste.   
“Did you talk?”  
“Yes.”   
“What about?”  
“What happened, she’s married now.”  
“Did you tell her about me?”  
“Of course. She asked me to get together with her again.”  
“And now you feel conflicted.”  
“Yes.” Rebecca’s heart broke a little.   
Rebecca got up. “Figure it out Phil, call me when you do. I am not someone to settle with. You should only be with me if you really want to.” She had said it very calmly, trying not to make a scene. She walked out of the restaurant, hailed a taxi, went home, ordered a large cheese pizza and drank a big glass of wine. She poured another one immediately after. She decided to text her best friend.  
[Fucking asshole, I go away for a week and he sees his ex.]  
[Did she see him too]  
[Yes, and now he doesn’t know what do to.]  
[What did you do.]  
[I told him to figure it out and call me when he does.]  
[Want me to come over?]  
[Nah, I’ve got wine and within a couple of minutes I will also have a large cheesepizza.]  
[Are you sure?]  
[yes, going to bed early anyway, jet lag]  
[I really hope he chooses you.]  
[Thanks, So do I].


	24. That dreaded text

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rebecca get the text from Phil she has been dreading.

Chapter 24  
April 22nd  
Rebecca hadn’t heard from Phil in two weeks. She was pretty sure it was drawing to an end. Two days ago Jemma had send her a text that Phil was going to Portland. He would arrive back today. She was just waiting for a message that would end it. She knew he was a gentleman and wouldn’t string her along. Around four pm the message she was waiting for came.   
[Can I come over tonight? I figured it out.]  
[You can come by around eight.]  
Rebecca got up from her chair behind her desk and moved to Peppers office. She knocked and walked in after she heard Pepper yell enter.   
“I got the text I was dreading.”  
“He chose her?”  
“Think so, he went to Portland yesterday and now he wants to talk.”  
“What time is he coming over?”  
“Eight.”  
“Tony and I will be there at nine, bringing food, alcohol and tissues. And warm hugs of course. I am so sorry.”  
“Don’t be, it’s not your fault. You had no idea he wasn’t really emotionally available.” Pepper got up and put her arms around her best friend. Rebecca responded to her hug.  
“Wow, I would give a million bucks to see where this is leading.” They heard Tony’s voice behind them, he was looking at the two women hugging each other.   
“Tony, this is not the time for jokes.” Pepper shot an angry look at her partner. “Phil send her a text, he wants to talk to her tonight. So tonight at nine, we will have cleanup duty.”   
“Pizza, beer and tissues. Get it.” Tony said.  
“I think she would prefer chocolate, wine and tissues.”  
“Don’t talk about me like I’m not in the room.” Rebecca interjected. “And Pepper is right.”   
“I am going to kill Phil tomorrow, if that’s all right with you. I told him that I would, you know, if he broke your heart. I told him I would come after him in my suit.”

Rebecca’s apartment, a little before 8 pm.   
There was a knock on her door. Rebecca felt a pang of loss in her heart. In about ten minutes she would have lost Phil for real. She opened the door surprised to see Phil standing there with a huge bouquet of roses.   
“Hi.”  
“I’ve come to apologize. I should have never let you hanging.” Rebecca cocked her head in confusion.  
“Come in.” He handed her the flowers and she accepted them.   
“I am so sorry, I don’t know what got into me. Would you please give me a second choice?”  
This wasn’t what Rebecca had expected.   
“What? So this isn’t a breakup? Why did you go to Portland if you didn’t want to be with Audrey? This is all very confusing.” Rebecca walked with the flowers to the kitchen, Phil followed her.   
“I went to Portland to tell Audrey in person that I had made a final decision. I didn’t want to do that over the phone. And I wanted to tell her first, so you would know I am serious. About this, us...” Rebecca put the flowers down on the counter. She walked up to Phil slowly, put her arms around him and started crying. “I was so sure you chose her.” Then she got mad. “What the fuck Phil, never do that to me again.” Phil kissed her, this time he was not distant, but passionate. Rebecca returned the kiss at first, but broke it off. “Talk first, kiss later. I still have some questions and I still have some things to say.”  
“I understand. Ask away.”  
“Why did you choose me, instead of her?” Rebecca started to prepare the flowers to put them in the vase.   
“Two things: first I found that she might have been my past, you are my future. Second I felt that I could not be with a woman who would ask me to leave someone else and would divorce her husband, just because we were together in the past. It wasn’t the Audrey I knew. It was someone else. She changed. Also I really, really didn’t want Iron man after me.”  
“Why did it take you two weeks to choose, I haven’t heard from you in two fucking weeks.”  
“It wasn’t an easy choice. I did love Audrey at some point. It was really tempting to go back to her, especially since you haven’t been yourself lately. Believe me, I don’t blame you, I blame myself for it, but it would have been very easy to get back together with her. I really had to think about it.”  
“You really hurt me Phil.” Rebecca was a little rough with a stem of chalk plant and it broke.  
“I know. I am so sorry.”  
“I will forgive you. It’s not like you cheated on me, did you? And now we dealt with all the trouble concerning our exes.” She finished putting the flowers in the vase and walked up to him. “Could you please just hold me for a while?” Phil put his arms around her and held her. She put her head on his shoulder and inhaled his scent. “Thank you,” Phil said, “and no, I did not cheat on you.” Rebecca relaxed. They just stood there for a while, content that they found each other again.   
“Would you like a glass of wine?” she finally asked.   
“Sure.” Rebecca opened the fridge, got a bottle out, while Phil took two glasses out of the cupboard. “Want to move this to the living room?” She asked while she poured the drinks.  
“Anything you want.”  
“Oh, I really should use this agreeable mood you’re in. Ask for something...” Rebecca said to Phil while he carried the full glasses to the couch. “I think you might be right. I would do anything for you right now.” He gave her a confident smirk. She sat down next to her and kissed him. “Enough talking.” He responded by kissing her back, moving his right hand to her waist. Rebecca took of his tie and started unbuttoning his shirt. Phil moved his hand under the hem of her top, touching her lower back first and moving up his hand toward her breast. “God, I missed you.” He whispered. She pushed down the sleeves of his shirt and took off her top over her head in what looked like one move. Phil started kissing her neck, moving her under him. She started unbuttoning her pants. He gave her just enough room to get out of them, while undoing his T-shirt. And then there was a knock on the door.   
“Oh shoot, I forgot to call off Tony and Pepper.”  
“Why the fuck are they here?”  
“Guess, they are bringing chocolate, wine and tissues.” Rebecca snatched Phil’s shirt of the floor and quickly put it on. She walked to the door and opened it.   
“Hi guys, I guess I should have called you...” Rebecca made an apologetic, slightly embarrassed face. Pepper who hadn’t expected to find her friend in a men’s shirt with obvious signs of making out on her body raised her eyebrows. “Either you got back together with Phil, you are having goodbye sex or you found a one night stand really quickly. Judging from the shirt, it’s one of the former two.” Phil came walking to the door in his t-shirt and jeans. Tony asked the poor man: “Do I still have to come after you in my suit?”   
“No, you don’t.” Phil was smirking at Tony.   
“So you guys are good.” Pepper asked.  
“Yes.” Rebecca answered. Upon that answer Pepper put the chocolate and wine in Rebecca’s hands, said “Enjoy, you guys. Tony, let’s go. They really, really don’t want us around right now. Rebecca, you call me tomorrow.” She held her hand in a phone gesture and they were gone.   
“I am so sorry Phil, one text would have prevented that.” Rebecca said, putting the wine in the fridge and the chocolate on the counter.   
“I guess I am the one that needs to be sorry, if you and Pepper were so convinced I was going to break it up.” Rebecca walked toward her bedroom, in the mean while shedding herself of Phil’s shirt.  
“Where were we?”  
“We were on the couch, but I second your motion to take it to the bedroom.”


	25. The morning after 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rebecca and Phil have made up.

Chapter 25  
April 23rd  
Rebecca woke up next to Phil, feeling content and a little sore from making up.. She got up, put on a long silk vintage kimono and started to make coffee. The scent would soon wake up Phil as it had so many times on Saturday. She checked her phone and there were about five messages from Pepper who was really eager to know what happened. Rebecca walked to her office while her coffee machine was heating up and called her friend.  
“Rebecca, good of you to call, I want to know every little detail.”   
“Hi Pepper, so sorry about last night, you shouldn’t have come all the way out last night.”  
“Well, it was the best ‘I’m sorry I forgot to call you off’ we ever had. We went out to a movie and for drinks afterwards. But what happened, obviously he didn’t break up with you. But why go to Portland first?”  
“He needed to tell Audrey it was not going to happen first, he is a gentleman after all.”  
“I am glad, so you have forgiven him?”  
“Not yet, but it will come with time. He really hurt me.”  
“I know, where is he now?”  
“Asleep. Pepper? Can I ask you something? Have I changed so much recently?”  
“You are not yourself, you have said it time after time yourself. Maybe you should look for a therapist, you have suffered some trauma recently.”   
“Thanks for being honest.” She heard a knock on the door and Phil stuck his head around the door. “There you are, I finished the coffee,” he handed her a cup. “Do you need some privacy?”  
“Thanks, no, don’t worry, I will finish up here and see you in a couple of minutes, okay?” She walked up to him and kissed him.   
“ Sounds like you should be doing something else instead of talking to me.” Pepper said.   
“Yeah, well I told my mom I would Skype her in about 10 minutes and before that I would like to drink this coffee with Phil.”  
“Sure, no problem. Must say I am happy we didn’t come ten minutes later yesterday.”  
“We wouldn’t have answered the door.”  
“I would have used my key.”  
“That would have been embarrassing. I am off now, talk to you Monday?”  
“Sure, hon.”  
Rebecca walked from her office into the living room. She leaned with her coffee against the doorpost. “I am glad you are here. It has been a much better morning than I imagined yesterday.”   
“Well this was exactly like I imagined this morning. Except for you calling Pepper first thing after waking up.” He walked up to her and put his arms around her waist.   
“She left me five messages.”  
“So what are your plans for today?”  
“I have to skype my mom in about five minutes, after that I free.”  
“Can I take you to a pick nick in Central Park, the weather is great. I know this great little place where you can order a basket with great food.”   
“I’ll call my mom, you order a basket.” Rebecca winked at Phil. She went back into her office, grabbed her laptop and started skype.  
“Hi mom.”  
“Hi sweetheart. Why are you still in your kimono?”  
“Got up late this morning. Didn’t have time yet to get dressed.”  
“So how has your week been? Heard from Phil yet?”  
“Yes.”  
“And?”  
“Break’s over.” Phil knocked on the door. “White or rose?” he wanted to know. “White or rose what?” Rebecca asked. “Bubbles.” “White.”  
“Well I can see your break is over if he runs around your house in his underwear.”  
“Mom...”  
“I am just worried honey, you are a little unstable at the moment, you said so yourself and if your relationship isn’t stable either.”  
“It is. Not that it is any of your business.”  
“It is, it will always be my business.”  
“Well, Phil and I are good now. And about me being unstable: I am going to look for a therapist on Monday.”  
“Good for you.”   
“I am going to cut it short now, we are going to have a pick nick in Central Park. I will give you a call tomorrow, around 9 pm your time, before I am going out with the girls.”  
“Sure sweetie.”


	26. Civil war

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rebecca and Phil deal with the consequences of the civil war.

Chapter 26  
May 6th  
Phil and Rebecca went back to their old routine. They seemed to have patched up the relationship quite well. Rebecca had visited a therapist a couple of times and was starting to feel like her old self again. She was able to put it all in perspective. Life seemed good again. But then it happened. The impossible. The little disagreement between Iron man and Captain America exploded. There were now two teams of superheroes fighting each other. It was a war about civil rights, but also about friendship. Rebecca had picked a team to support easily. She worked for Tony and he was one of her dearest friends. Phil understood her choice, but his admiration for Captain America and his believe in the liberties was greater that his budding friendship with Tony. Rebecca felt it drive a wedge between them. On the surface they seemed good, but below that, they resented each other’s choice. It wasn’t just that they had different political views. They would be able to overcome those quite easily. It was personal. Rebecca working for Tony and still socializing with Pepper. Phil secretly rooting for Captain America, even though Shield was officially neutral. It made them both apprehensive. Both were afraid to talk about their work, Rebecca couldn’t talk about what Pepper and Tony were doing at the moment and Phil was afraid to even take the name Steve Rogers in his mouth.   
“Phil,” Rebecca said, as they were lying in bed, lights off. “Don’t you think we need to talk about this?” Phil turned a quarter, so he was facing Rebecca, who was lying wide awake on her back.  
“I do, but I am not really sure what to say. It is so hard not to let this trickle into our personal lives. It is so hard to see our friends being torn apart. Seeing Natasha fight Clint, Tony fighting Steve. I feel helpless.”   
Rebecca sat up and turned the lights on.   
“I understand what Steve is fighting for, but I can’t help but remain loyal to Tony.”   
“I totally understand, sweetie. I feel torn too. I totally get that inhumans and superhumans need some kind of registration and regulation, Shield doesn’t have an index for nothing.”  
“That’s right, Shield doesn’t have an index for nothing.” Rebecca’s mood turned a bit.   
“But Steve...”  
“I can’t believe you let your childhood admiration for Steve take priority over your friendship with Tony and Pepper.” Rebecca sounded mad.   
“And I can’t believe that you let your friendship with Tony and Pepper take priority over a civil rights issue.” Phil sounded mad too.   
The bickering turned into arguing. The arguing turned into fighting. Out of nothing Phil kissed Rebecca aggressively. “Shut up.” He wanted to show her who was boss. She kissed him back, biting his lower lip, showing him she was not letting him win easily. He used his superior strength to slide her lower onto the bed, so she was lying on her back again. He grabbed both her wrists with his left hand and used his right hand to roughly handle her body. She bucked her hips, tried to struggle her hands free, but he had no intention of letting her go. “Do you really think I’m going to let you go?” He asked her in a low, threatening voice. “Do you think that is what I want?” She hissed back. “What do you want me to do?” “Fuck me, Phil.” Her anger had turned into some sort of twisted arousal. “I will, but not yet, first you will beg me for mercy and you will tell me that I am the boss.” “Never!” Phil wrestled his hand between her leg, and knowing exactly what to do, started to drive her toward an orgasm. But just moments before she got there he stopped. Rebecca moved her hips, trying to get him to continue, but Phil had moved his hand elsewhere. “As I said, you are going to beg me for mercy. And when you tell me who is boss I just might give it to you.” This side of Phil was new to Rebecca, but it turned her on in a way she hadn’t imagined possible. She always thought that angry, aggressive sex wasn’t for her, but this was something completely different. “You know who is the boss... me.” She whispered in a low voice. Phil just tightened his grip on her wrists just a little, enough to hurt a little, not enough to make a mark in the morning. She gasped as he touched her breast and moved his hand back down. The game Phil had started went on for a while, denying her an orgasm for a couple of times. Finally Rebecca broke. “Please Phil, you are in charge, you are right.” “Beg for it.” “Please Phil, fuck me.” Phil finally gave Rebecca her release and she screamed, it was like her whole body was exploding. Phil entered her and took her with hard and quick strokes. It didn’t take her long to go over the edge again and he followed her. Out of the blue he kissed her softly. “I am so sorry.” “For what?” “The fight, using you like that.” “I’m not sorry about it. I will be a bit sore in the morning, but that’s okay.”  
There was a knock on the door. “What now?” Rebecca wondered. “Want me to open up?” “Sure, I’m not sure I can walk yet.” Phil quickly put on his boxers and t-shirt, walked out of the room to the front door, only to find the doorman accompanied by two policemen on the other side. “Mr. Coulson, uh, these police officers would like to ask you and Miss Wills some questions. The neighbours heard arguing and than a woman scream from your apartment.” Phil covered his face in his hands. Apparently someone had thought he was hurting Rebecca. “Let me go get her.” He walked back into the bedroom, where he found Rebecca getting dressed. “I heard.” Together they walked to the front door. Phil stood beside her, his arm around her waist. “I am so sorry you had to come out here officers. I understand my neighbours called about a fight and a scream? As you can see I am quite alright.” “Can you tell us what happened ma’am?” “Well we were having a fight, and to be honest, well... this is quite embarrassing... the fight turned into something else.” She rubbed the nape of her neck nervously. “Would you please explain the marks on your wrist ma’am?” She looked at her wrists, they were red where Phil’s prostatic hand had held them. She decided to be blunt, she had nothing to be ashamed of. “We had angry, rough sex okay? Completely consensual, between two adults.” Both the police officers and also the doorman turned bright red. “I am sorry you had to come by for that.” “So sorry for bothering you.” One of the officers said. “Maybe try to keep it down a bit next time.” “Of course officer, good night.” She closed the door and looked at Phil. He was smirking. “Never had the cops called on me before. Too bad I can’t tell anyone.” “You think this is funny?” Rebecca asked, holding back a laugh herself. “Not so much funny, I see it as a badge of honour. I made you scream so loud that someone thought I was killing you.” Rebecca blushed. “Let’s go back to bed, and let’s not let this whole Tony and Steve thing take over our relationship.” She said. Phil drew her a little bit closer and kissed her temple. They fell asleep in each other’s arms, the tension between them dissipated.


	27. The notification

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pepper and Tony get notified about the police visit.

Chapter 27  
May 7th  
Rebecca’s apartment.   
Around 10 am Rebecca woke up from her mobile phone going off. She wriggled herself loose out of Phil’s arms and grabbed her phone from the nightstand. It was Pepper.   
“Hi Pepper, what can I do for you.”  
“Rebecca, are the two of you alright?”  
“Why wouldn’t we be?”  
“Well, Tony’s property management company gets a notification every time the police is being called for one of their tenants. And as last night’s call concerned you, I was notified. So are the two of you alright.”  
“Wow, this is embarrassing. Yes we were fighting. You can imagine why. But it kind of turned into something else. The scream wasn’t from pain, au contraire.”  
“I think I get it.” Pepper said. “Well Tony, we don’t have to worry, they just had angry sex.” Apparently Tony had been standing next to her.   
“I told my best friend, not my boss.”  
“Well your boss got notified about a police visit.”  
Then she heard Tony taking over the phone. “So you and Phil had angry sex eh... If I remember correctly, you never minded it a bit rough.” Tony was chuckling.  
“Tony, when you say things like that, it hurts Pepper.” And embarrasses me, she thought.   
Phil had woken up in the mean time. “What’s going on?”  
“Pepper and Tony were notified of our little visit yesterday, they just wanted to know if we were alright.” Phil took the phone out of her hands.  
“Tony, yes we are alright. And I am sorry the police had to be called and you had to be called.” Phil decided to be sassy. “I am sorry I made Rebecca scream so loud they thought I was killing her. Did that ever happen to you?” Tony chuckled. “Just remember I was there first. What, Pepper, no, I was just teasing the man, I am so sorry. Phil, I am hanging up now, Pepper is trying to kill me.”  
“You couldn’t help it could you, trying to stake your claim? Like you still need to.” Rebecca said to Phil after they had hung up. “Like somehow it still bugs you, you know, this thing with Tony.”   
“No, It doesn’t, but I just like to sass the man. Like he sassed me. He told me to remember he was there first.”   
“And you are there currently. I would know which I’d prefer.”  
Phil kissed Rebecca. They had plans that day to visit the Met today, to see the exhibit on Vigee Le Brun, which would close soon. “Let’s get dressed.”


	28. The jotunheim plague

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phil gets really sick, Rebecca asks Jane and Thor for help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's not how civil war will end, but it's how I want it to end, and how I need it to end for my story to work. So again, I took some liberties ;).
> 
> Also Snorri Sturluson is the writer of the younger or prose edda, a norse collection of mythological stories.

Chapter 28  
June 8th  
Rebecca’s office. Around 4 pm  
The trouble between Tony and Steve had died down after Steve had given himself up, getting some reassurances about Bucky and certain rights and liberties. Phil and Rebecca eased into their relationship even more and were even discussing taking a trip together. Rebecca had told Phil that she would love for him to come with her when she was going to the Netherlands in September. She was totally secure in her relationship. Phil had told her that he would love to meet her family.  
She should have been working, but she had let her mind drift a little. Life was good, summer was coming and she was planning a little surprise for Phil for his birthday next month. Her phone buzzed her out of her little daydream.  
“Rebecca Wills.”  
“Rebecca, it’s Mel.”  
“Oh, hi Mel. What can I do for you?” She wasn’t used to get phone calls from Phil’s second.  
“It’s Phil. He contracted some alien virus. I don’t think he is going to make it.” Rebecca’s heart sank.  
“I am sending a car to get you to the playground, he has been asking to see you.”  
“Thank you, what do you know about the virus?”  
“We believe it originated in Jotunheim. It might have been dormant since the incident with Loki.” Mel said, referring to when Loki stabbed Phil through the heart.  
“Okay I am coming.”  
As soon as she hung up, she called Tony.  
“Is there any way you can contact Thor?”  
“No, but Jane can. Why?”  
“I need his help, Phil has this Jotunheim virus. If anyone can help me find a cure, it’s Thor.”  
“I will send you Jane’s number, I am sure she will help.”  
A minute later she got a text with Jane’s contact information. She called the number immediately.  
“Jane Foster.”  
“Jane, it’s Rebecca Wills.”  
“Hi Rebecca, what can I do for you?”  
“I need your help. I need you to contact Thor. It is a matter of life or death. Phil’s life.”  
“What? What happened?”  
“He has contracted a virus, that probably originated in Jotunheim. It might have been dormant for over four years.”  
“I will contact Thor and get back to you as soon as I can. He will want to help.”  
“Thank you.”  
She left her office, took the lift to the ground floor and walked out of the building toward the big black SUV with tinted windows that was waiting for her. The SHIELD agent let her get in, closed the door and drove as quickly as he could through the New York traffic toward the Playground.  
After they arrived, she got out as quickly as she could and followed Jemma as quickly as her four inch heels could carry her toward the medical ward. Phil was in quarantine. Rebecca couldn’t hold back her tears anymore. Daisy came up to her and put an arm around her. “I am so sorry, we don’t know what to do anymore.”  
“Jane is contacting Thor. If anyone can help us find a cure, its him.”  
Rebecca waited for hours next to Phil’s bed.  
Pepper had called her, asking if there was anything she could do, and if she could take over some work. Tony called if Rebecca had reached Jane yet. Her assistant called to see if she had to cancel or postpone any meetings. But Jane didn’t call.  
When she finally did, Rebecca was afraid to answer.  
“I spoke to Thor. They know the disease. They have a cure, but it is for Asgardians. But Thor’s personal physicians are prepared to alter it for humans. Thor will have Heimdal bring you up to Asgard with the Bifrost as soon as I give him the signal.”  
“Give me ten minutes to notify the people here and Pepper.”  
“Sure.”  
Rebecca walked up to Jemma, who was working in her lab.  
“Thor is bringing Phil and me to Asgard, his physicians will alter their cure for this disease, so it can be used on humans. We will leave in about ten minutes.”  
“Okay. Good luck sweetie.” Jemma hugged Rebecca.  
After that she called Pepper that she was going to Asgard, not knowing when she would come back. Pepper wished her good luck and told her that she was slightly jealous of her going to Asgard, even though the circumstances were dire.  
After 11 minutes a bright light came down and she felt herself being transported. Before she knew it she was standing in a beautiful room. Phil was lying in a big hospital-like bed. Thor was standing in the room, giving orders to the people around them.  
“Miss Wills. Welcome to Asgard. I have a room prepared for you. Some more appropriate attire is provided for you. Fortunately you have the look of an Asgardian. Tall and strong”  
“Thank you for your help Thor. It means a lot to me, and to Phil.”  
“Phil is my friend. About that, I must apologize to you. The last time we met, I didn’t understand why you would want to be alone. Jane explained it to me.”  
“No apologies necessary, Thor, your help in this matter is more than enough.”  
“Let me walk you to your room.”  
They walked to her room in silence, which was close to the room Phil was staying in. When they arrived there, Thor invited her to dinner. He gave her some directions, which she forgot immediately, but there were so many people walking around the palace that she could just ask.  
Entering her room she was shocked. The room was magnificent. A large four poster bed, a huge wardrobe. The room had a bathroom within the room, and windows overlooking a beautiful garden. She opened the wardrobe, which contained a couple of Asgardian women’s dresses, made of beautiful fabric. How Thor had guessed her size was a mystery to her, but she guessed Jane had something to do with it. She quickly got out of her work garb and wore a light green dress, with a soft orange sash. The fabric was light and flowy, a bit like silk, but different. There were no shoes, so she decided to go barefoot, which seemed to be no problem in the palace. On a little desk she found a small stack of books in English, probably left by Jane during her visit here. She walked back to the room where Phil was lying.  
A tall, blonde woman came up to him.  
“Miss Wills, I am sorry, but as we don’t have a cure for Midgardians yet, we can’t let you come close to our patient. We have discerned that we were right, it is Jotunheim plague. We think we will have a cure with a couple of days.”  
“Is he going to survive those days?”  
“We don’t know. We are doing our best.”  
Rebecca decided she was going to see if she could find the garden she could see from her room. She started to walk in the direction she thought it would be, but must have taken a wrong turn somewhere and ended up at what looked like a library. Rebecca loved books and was disappointed she couldn’t read the Asgardian runes, nor did she know the traditional Asgardian language. A blond man in what looked like his sixties, was sitting behind a desk on the other side of the hall, lined with bookcases.  
“Can I help you?”  
“I am sorry I got lost. I was looking for the gardens, but I ended up here. Is this like a library?”  
“Yes, here we collect all the stories of Asgard.”  
“Too bad I can’t read any of it.”  
“You are not Asgardian?”  
“Midgardian. I am a guest of Thor.”  
“You are the wife of the son of Coul.”  
“I am not his wife, more like his… companion.” Yes, companion would be the right word.  
“Do you want to learn? I mean the runes and the language?”  
“Would you teach me, that would be nice. I’m kind of stuck here. I can’t visit Phil because he might be contagious, and I can’t ask Thor to keep me entertained the whole time.”  
“Well, it is almost dinnertime, but come visit me tomorrow. It will be nice to have some company. Do you have any experience learning new languages?”  
“Next to my mother tongue I speak three other languages, so that’s a yes. I have never learned a different alphabet though. So that might be a challenge.” She told the man. “Talking about dinnertime, could you please point me in the right direction?”  
“Well, I am one of the people who have dinner with Thor, let’s walk over together. My name is Snorri Sturluson.”  
“Rebecca Wills.”  
As they were walking toward the dining hall Snorri asked her the inevitable.  
“The son of Coul must be very special to have been taken here after he got sick. And his companion too.”  
“Phil is a special friend of Thor, he is one of the first people to help him after he got stranded on Midgard.”  
“And you?”  
“I think me coming here is a way of apologizing for something he did about 5 months ago. Or maybe he is a afraid Phil will die, and wants me close so I can say goodbye.”  
“But you are not his wife, only a companion.”  
“We are not together long enough for us to be thinking about such things. We are in the process of finding out if we want to get married in the future.”  
“Ah, you are being courted by the son of Coul.”  
“That might be the best way to put it.”  
“Aren’t you a little old to get courted, are you a widow? And he a widower?”  
“Phil never got married, you might see me as divorced.”  
“Ah. That means you must be something special, as you are the first woman courted by the son of Coul.”  
“I am not the first woman courted by Phil, but it didn’t work out in the past. He died or she died… you know how it works.” The old man nodded, but didn’t seem to really understand.  
As they walked in the dining hall, Rebecca was astounded again. There were two large tables and a smaller one at the head. The tables were filled with copious amounts of food, meats, cheeses, bread, fruit, vegetables, it was a beautiful sight. Thor was beckoning Rebecca to join him. She said goodbye to Snorri, who found a seat at one of the larger tables.  
“I see you made a friend already.”  
“Well, I am not allowed to visit Phil, so I was looking for the gardens, but I ended up in the library. He is going to teach me the runes and Asgardian.”  
“Snorri likes having people around, they come visit him less and less. And it will give you something to do. Please sit down here.” He pointed her to a chair next to him and she sat down.  
“May I ask you why you chose to bring me here, Thor?” She started to fill up her plate like everyone around her was. Thor poured her a glass of mead.  
“You should be here, you are his girlfriend. If he is going to die, you should be able to say goodbye. And if he is going to live, he will want you to be here.” Rebecca smiled, Thor might not be the smartest, or get subtleties, but he understood how love worked.  
“You are becoming as wise as your father, Thor.”  
“Thank you, Miss Wills.”  
“Maybe you should call me Rebecca, how long have we known each other?”  
“Four years now, we met just after the events in New York. Well four years in your time. Time flows differently in Asgard.”  
“Oh?”  
“A week here, will be a day on Midgard. You could spend a month here and you would be back in time for work on your next Moonday.” Rebecca relaxed. She didn’t want to be more days absent from work, but she also wanted to stay here, with Phil. This meant she could stay here, either for his death, or for his recovery, without having to feel guilty about missing work. “How do you think I got everything together so quickly. I had almost a full day to prepare for Phil’s and your arrival? It’s also what makes communication so hard.”  
“I understand.” That evening she got to get to know the Norse God better. She knew several people in her social circle would be quite jealous.


	29. Asgard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just another day in Asgard.

Chapter 29  
Asgard Day 2  
The following day she got up with the sunrise, got dressed in one of the beautiful Asgardian dresses, blue with red this time, and went to the room they were treating Phil. She wasn’t allowed to see him, but they told him they were working on him. He was getting weaker. With her head filled with thoughts she went to the library. She needed to get her mind of Phil.   
Snorri explained to her the runes first. He explained the Aetts. The first was the Earth family, the second the warrior family, the third the heaven family. Every rune was a letter, but it also was a word and had a symbolic meaning. Some of the words and their meanings were quite close to her mother tongue, and German, so she picked them up easily. They had an simple lunch, after which Rebecca checked in on Phil again. There was no change in his condition, but she was told they were making progress with the cure.   
The afternoon she was taught the first basics of the old Norse language. As she knew both Dutch and German, languages that came from the same language (proto-germanic) as old norse, she could easily mimic the sounds and had a basic understanding of the grammar and the word order would come quite naturally.   
Before dinner she went to check up on Phil again, still no change. She sat next to Thor again. She talked to him, and nearing the end of dinner, Thor was getting a bit drunk he put an arm around her and told her everything was going to be alright. He almost squashed her, and Rebecca, who hadn’t had as nearly as much to drink was feeling uncomfortable.   
That night in bed she was thinking. Okay, Phil and her had been thinking of going away together for a while, but this was not what she had in mind. Yes, Asgard would have been the most perfect destination, but not in these circumstances. She imagined herself walking with Phil through the gardens, sleeping together in this beautiful and huge bed. But now Phil was sleeping in another room, possibly dying. She started crying, she felt so alone and so desperate. There was nothing she could do to help Phil.


	30. Steve rogers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rebecca keeps Phil amongst the living by threatening him with Steve Rogers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Taken some more liberties here. Frigga is still alive, because I really like her.

Chapter 30  
Asgard Day 3  
She woke in the middle of the night from a loud knocking on her door. She quickly got dressed and opened the heavy oak door. On the other side was a tall blonde man, who she recognized as one of the people taking care of Phil.  
“You have to come now.”  
“Of course.” She walked as quickly as she could to the room where Phil was lying.  
“He is going over the edge. You need to ask him to come back. If he comes back for you we can give him the cure tomorrow and hope it works.”  
“Why can’t you give him the cure now.”  
“We haven manufactured enough of it yet.” Rebecca walked up to the bed.  
“Isn’t he still contagious?”  
“Yes, but the benefits of your presence outweigh the risks of you contracting the disease in this stage. Especially since we are close to a cure.” She walked up to the bed. Phil looked like he was going to die. His face was an unnatural greyish-blue, he looked very skinny and he was barely breathing. She took his hand. “Phil, I am here, you can’t leave me now. I need you.” She kissed his hand. “I need you to come back to me. Asgard is beautiful, but I don’t really like it here without you. If you were well we could walk around the gardens and sleep in the huge bed in my room and we could go home and celebrate your birthday and we could go to see my family in September and we could both have a date at the Christmas gala this year.” She looked up at the blond man who had come to get her. “Are you sure this is going to work? “It’s part of the Asgardian healing process. If someone almost dies and we can’t do anything else, we ask a loved one to bring him back. It’s magic, it’s part of our science, they are the same anyway. Maybe you should tell him what will happen if he dies.”  
Rebecca bend forward and whispered in Phil’s ear: “If you die I have to go on a date with Steve. And I will sleep with him, because he has an amazing body. I might even let one of these beautiful Asgard men comfort me.” She thought it might be her imagination but it seemed like Phil was breathing a bit better and his colour turned a little more pink. The rest of the night she sat with him, holding his hand and talking to him.  
She must have fallen asleep at some point, because she was woken up by a tall red-haired woman. It was already light outside.  
“Miss Wills, we have to check up on the son of Coul now. Maybe you should take care of yourself now first, take a bath, get a change of clothes. I have had one of the kitchen staff bring you breakfast in your room.” Rebecca got up, her whole body felt stiff. She felt hungry and she could really do with a bath in that beautiful marble bath in her room. She walked to her room, ate the breakfast that had appeared there and let the bath fill up. She used one of the oils standing next to the it, it smelled a bit of roses, but slightly different. As she slipped into the bath the tears came down. Was she going to lose Phil? She had even resorted to mean threats for him to come back to her. She had hoped that if he became angry or jealous, he would want to come back to life. She dipped her head under the water, holding her breath, enjoying the underwater stillness for as long as she could before having to come up for air.  
After the water had turned cold, she came out of the bath, dried herself off and got dressed. Arriving back at Phil’s room she was turned away again. “We will come find you at the library if we need you.” She felt dismissed, but didn’t say anything. These people were trying to save his life. So she went to the library where Snorri taught her more of the language and runes. She couldn’t really set her mind to it, but tried to compartmentalise Phil, trying to learn something that might come handy one day.  
Shortly after lunch Thor came in the library. “What did you say to the son of Coul? He asked to talk to you.” “Is he awake? The cure worked?”  
“The cure worked in combination with something you said, he said he came back because something you said made him slightly angry and really jealous. So now I wonder what you said.”  
Rebecca couldn’t help but smile. “I told him that if he would die I would sleep with Steve. You know how much Phil admires him. I knew he wouldn’t be able to handle that.” Thor started laughing, his loud bellowing laugh. “You midgardian woman are terrible.” They walked to Phil’s room. Phil was still looking awful, but at least he was awake.  
“Five minutes, miss Wills, he has to rest.” A blond man said to her.  
“Phil...”  
“Anyone but Steve, please. If I die, move on, but anyone but Steve.”  
“You are not going to die, Phil.”  
“You look amazing by the way.”  
“Thank you, you not so much. But you look better than yesterday.”  
“How long have we been here?”  
“Couple of days.”  
“How did we get here?”  
“Mel called me, I called Jane, Jane called Thor and he had Heimdal get us here with the Bifrost.”  
“Thank you.”  
“Miss Wills, you have to go now. You are allowed to visit tonight for ten minutes. But now you have to leave, he has to rest.” Instead of walking back to the library she walked toward the gardens. She sat down on a bench in a corner. She started crying again, but not of grief or sadness this time, but of relief. It was like all the tension and apprehension of the last couple of days were released into her body. Five minutes later she was crying and shaking uncontrollably.  
She didn’t know how much time had gone by, but a beautiful blond woman in her sixties came over to her. She was carrying what looked like a pot of tea and a cup. “Thor send me, he thought you could use something soothing.”  
“Thank you.” The hot beverage tasted a bit like herbal tea. It was unlike everything she was used to, but it wasn’t bad. The drink made her feel warm all over. “I am going to bring you to your room now, you will probably want to get some sleep. I will wake you for dinner. After dinner you can visit the son of Coul for ten minutes.” She let the woman guide her to her room, and lied down on her bed. She fell asleep before she could even think what was in the drink.  
When she was woken up by the same woman she felt surprisingly refreshed. The woman told her to have some dinner and afterwards he could visit Phil. She freshened up a little and went to the dinner hall with the woman. She sat down next to Thor and the woman sat down on the other side of him. “I see you met my mother.” Rebecca was shocked. This woman who had been taking care of her was the Goddess Frigga! “Your mother?” “Yes, she is the mother-goddess after all, she likes to take care of people. And well, I am not planning to make yóu my Queen, so she can.” “Was she hard on Jane?” “Yes.” “I still can’t believe your mother... was the one taking care of me.” “She is quite famous for her brews.” “What was in that brew she gave me?” “It is a combination of herbs that takes the edge of emotions and makes the drinker fall asleep for a couple of hours.” “Okay.”  
Rebecca ate as fast as she could, drinking only one cup of mead, before excusing herself to go to see Phil. She was pleasantly surprised when she saw Phil. He looked better than he did this afternoon. “Ten minutes.” The blond man she had seen before said to her.  
“Hi.”  
“Hi, those Asgardian dresses really work for you, I must say.”  
“Thank you.” Rebecca sat down on the edge of Phil’s bed, she took his hand in hers. “They are made for women of my posture. TALL AND STRONG as Thor puts it.” She tried to mimic the sound of Thor´s voice as well as she could.  
Phil smiled. “So how have you been spending your time here? I know I have been sleeping a lot.”  
“I’m learning old Norse and Norse runes. Needed something to keep my mind of you and learning a new language is always a good way to keep my mind occupied. Also it might come in handy one day. How are you feeling?”  
“Not so good. I’m really tired and everything hurts. But I guess I am better than yesterday. I was ready to go yesterday. Until you started talking about Steve.”  
“I just knew you wouldn’t be able to handle that. Anyone but him I guess. I’m glad you responded to my threats.”  
“So am I. Tell me more about your lessons. If you get really good at it I might have to offer you a job.”  
“I’m not going to work for Shield, Phil. I believe fraternisation is against the rules. And I slept with my boss once, not going to do that again.” She had said the last thing sarcastically.  
“Not going to offer you that job then, too bad, we could use someone with inside knowledge about Asgard.”  
“You couldn’t afford me, honey. You could ask me to consult once in a while. Always happy to help.”  
“You don’t want to take a pay cut to work for the greater good?” Phil asked her.  
“I think I am doing enough for the greater good. I make sure the director of Shield is happy, relaxed and healthy.”  
“Miss Wills it’s time to go again. The son of Coul needs his rest.”  
“I will see you again tomorrow.” She kissed him on the cheek.  
“If he has a good night you can visit him three times tomorrow, for half an hour.”  
“That would be nice.” She walked to her room, grabbed one of the books Jane left and started to read, it was a intelligent thriller, and she read until she couldn’t keep her eyes open anymore.


	31. Asgard 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The following days on Asgard

Chapter 31   
Asgard, the following days.   
As the time she was allowed to spend with Phil expanded, she spend less and less time with Snorri in the library. After about a week he was allowed out of his bed. She took him walking to the garden. Well, walking, they walked to the garden and sat down on one of the benches. She took him to meet Snorri in the library. But a lot of the time she just spend time reading next to his bed, while he was recovering.   
Two weeks later, they had been in Asgard for about three weeks now, he was allowed to move from the hospital room to her room. They wanted to keep him in Asgard for a week longer, just to make sure the disease wouldn’t come back.   
“So this is where you’ve been staying for the past couple of weeks. Wow, you must feel like a princess.”  
“I do, I do. Have you seen the bath, it’s marble, and the bed, it’s big enough for five people. And the dresses in the wardrobe... they keep changing.”  
“Well, good to see you found something good here in Asgard.”  
“I have found nothing but good things here. This room, Snorri, and your cure. Come look at this, you can see the garden from the windows.” She took him by the hand. Phil loved the way how she acted like a little girl, enthusiastically and joyous. He knew she felt relieved about his swift recovery. “Let’s go have dinner. Thor will be waiting for us.”  
That night they slept in each other’s arms for the first time in weeks. Rebecca felt relieved. She could have lost this man. She felt so blessed with friends like Jane and Thor. She had really come to see Thor as a friend in these past few weeks. He had really come through and was pleasant all the time, in his own Norse God kind of way, of course.   
A week later Phil was cleared to go back to Midgard. The journey back to Earth was a lot happier than the way to Asgard. Phil held Rebecca’s hand, he felt a slight tinge of nerves, the last time he was transported by the bifrost he was unconscious. They were both still wearing their Asgardian clothes.


	32. Back on midgard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phil and Rebecca return to Midgard

Chapter 32   
June 13th The playground 2 am.   
They appeared back on earth in the medical ward on the playground. Phil had no idea what day or time it was. The playground was underground so the light was always artificial. He looked around, there was no one around. “Let’s get to my office, we can find out when we are.” “Sure.” He took her hand and walked to his office. They found it was Monday morning the 13th of June, around 2 am. Everyone was asleep apparently.   
Rebecca sat down on Phil’s desk and crossed her legs. She was still wearing her Asgardian dress, which had a big split on her leg. With her leg largely exposed she put her hands behind her. “So Phil, has this office been properly inaugurated?” Phil walked up to her, smiling. He touched her cheek. “What are you thinking about?” The thought of doing it in his office appealed to him more than he would admit. “Well, everyone is asleep, no one knows we’re here, you are healthy and I really, really want you.” She leaned forward to give him a sensual kiss. Phil smirked and leaned in, touching her exposed leg with his left hand, holding her neck in his right. His hand went up her leg, stopping at the hem of her panties, he moved inward, feeling she was already getting wet. Rebecca moved her hands from behind her towards his belt. With two quick movements she opened his belt. She took out his tunic from his pants and he quickly removed it. Next were here panties. She slid them off smoothly and he moved his right hand up her legs. She moved her hands behind her again, to give him better access. He knew exactly what do to push her over the edge. She did her best to muffle her scream when he did. Phil dropped his trousers and entered her folds, nuzzling her neck, his hands on her hips. He picked up the pace, listening to the sounds coming from her mouth, the little movements she made. He could think of nothing else but the fact that he was having sex with this woman in his office. He pushed himself over the edge and was startled by a sound behind him. There in the doorway, with her back towards him, was standing Melinda May. He quickly got dressed while Rebecca snatched her panties from the ground and put them on. “Hello Melinda.”  
“Welcome back Phil, I see you have recovered quite well in Asgard.” Rebecca looked away, her face bright red.  
“How long have you been standing there?”  
“Long enough.” She answered stoically. “I can’t believe you gave priority to fucking your girlfriend in your office over informing us that you are back and well.”  
“That’s my fault, sorry Melinda.” Rebecca looked apologetic. “I should inform Pepper and Tony of our return, tell them that I will be back at work tomorrow afternoon. Do you know where they left my purse after we left?”  
“Should be in one of Phil’s drawers.” Melinda said. “I’m going to wake up the others. That will give you five minutes to make your office and yourselves look like you should. Maybe you should put on that spare suit you got hanging here.”  
Rebecca found her purse in one of the desk drawers. Phil disappeared, only to appear a couple of minutes later in a suit. He had his tie hanging around his neck. Rebecca walked toward him, she was used to tying his tie when they were together. “Thank you.” He looked down toward her, thinking about how he would be sitting behind that desk tomorrow, not sure how he was ever going to concentrate in his office ever again.   
His team came in. They all ran toward him and gave him a big hug. Everyone was talking at once. Finally Jemma asked: “How did you recover so fast? You were only gone for four days.” “We were in Asgard for four weeks. Time moves differently there.” Phil said. Daisy looked at Rebecca: “They dress differently too, wow, that dress looks great on you. Can I borrow it?” “Sure, but first I have to ask Jane to ask Thor to get my normal day clothes and shoes back, those were my favourites Louboutins.” “Oh, but there is a satchel in the medical ward, that’s probably it.” Rebecca ran off to the medical ward, leaving Phil alone with his team. They all seemed very relieved he was back.   
When Rebecca came back, about 15 minutes later, changed into her normal clothes and her favourite shoes, he told them he was going home now and he would be back at work around noon.


	33. Surprise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Phils birthday.

Chapter 33  
July 8th Phils birthday  
She had told him they would have some people over on Sunday and they would have a quiet dinner on his birthday. She would make a reservation. Unbeknownst to him she had invited everyone, his team, Clint and Laura, Natasha, Steve, Thor and Jane, Pepper and Tony of course, and some of her friends over to that restaurant.   
As they entered the restaurant she told the maitre d’ they had a reservation under Wills.   
“Ah, the private dining room. Please follow me.” They followed him to the back of the restaurant, through a door, down stairs, towards a dark basement. The maitre d’ said quite loud, I don’t understand why they didn’t light the dining room and switched on the lights. Everyone yelled SURPRISE and Phil was kind of shocked.   
“Surprise honey.”  
“I had no idea.” Phil was feeling a little uncomfortable about all those people wanting to celebrate his birthday with him.   
“You go mingle, I’ll be okay.” Rebecca walked to some of her friends and Phil was left alone with all the people who wanted to congratulate him.   
Daisy had gotten him a book about the psychology of being different. Melinda had gotten him a nice watch. Jemma and Leo had bought him a vintage Captain America lunchbox and they were taking it to Steve to get signed. Mack had gotten his director a flash drive with music.   
Clint and Laura had bought him a nice bottle of whiskey. Natasha had bought him a beautiful silk tie. Thor took Phil aside and gave him a little box. “This is what you asked for when we were in Asgard. The stone changes colour with the colour of the eyes of the wearer. Hers will be a beautiful green. Let me know what she says, yeah?” “Thanks Thor. I will.” “Just glad I can help.”  
Steve had gotten him a vintage model of Lola. Tony and Pepper gave him a certificate for an all-inclusive weekend in a Spa-retreat for two. “You should ask her to move in with you, Phil. Or I will lose that bet.” “Too much going on lately, living together hasn’t even come up yet. I am not sure if she would want to move in.” Phil started to become nervous. “She asked you to join her in September, didn’t she?” Pepper asked. “Yes.” “She is ready to move in. Go and ask her.” He saw Rebecca introducing her friend Mary to Thor. Thor was getting used to the admiration of the Midgardian women and talked to her friendly and politely. But he had his arm around Jane as a sign that he wasn’t available.   
Phil sighed, straightened his posture and decided to be bold. He didn’t even mind losing the bet. He put his arm around Rebecca and asked if he could talk to her. “Right after I save Steve from Carolyn, the poor guy won’t know what hit him.” She told her friend to leave the poor guy alone, so Carolyn went on to her next target, Mack. He was much more susceptible to her advances.   
“You wanted to talk to me?”  
“I was wondering if you would move in with me.”  
“Wow, that’s a big question. Yes, I will move in with you. After we return from our trip in September.” He gave the first woman who had ever agreed to live with him a kiss. He wanted to slip away with her to some dark corner, but he knew he would be missed if he did. “If I could I would show you how much I look forward to that right now in a dark corner somewhere.” “Well, you can’t.” She teasingly touched his nose and gave him a quick peck on the lips.   
Phil walked up to the table with the food and tableware. He picked up a glass and a teaspoon, using them to make a clinging sound. The noise of people talking died down and everyone turned toward him. Phil set the glass and spoon down and put his arm around Rebecca’s waist. “First of all I would like to thank you all for coming. It is not very often the director of Shield gets surprised. Second of all I would like to thank you all for the thoughtful gifts. Third of all, Tony you lost the bet. She is moving in with me, but not before August.” Amongst the cheers, Tony made a fake boo-sound. “Timing is her idea, not mine, Tony. I will give you a call when I got a mission for you.” The people around them congratulated them with the next step in their relationship.   
The party was a great success. The food was great, the drinks flowed freely and everyone was having a good time. Phil enjoyed spending time with his friends and he was happy Rebecca said yes to moving in with him. He couldn’t remember a time he felt more happy in his whole life. He watched as Rebecca in one of her perfect little vintage dresses was acting like the perfect hostess, entertaining all her (and his) guests, he was thinking how she would be the perfect Director’s wife. He had the ring already, he was just waiting for the perfect moment to ask her.


	34. proposal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phil finally get the ring out.

Chapter 34  
August 26th Rebecca’s apartment. 5 pm  
Rebecca had packed up most of her stuff already. After her trip to the Netherlands, she would move to Phil’s place. She was leaving tonight, so she would be at her parents place a tomorrow morning, Phil would follow a week later. Her suitcase was in the hallway, they had to leave shortly, Phil would take her to the airport. He handled the little box in his jacket pocket over and over again. He initially had planned to ask her at a beach in the Netherlands, but he had decided to ask her before she left. Somehow the idea of meeting her family as her fiancé appealed to him more. He also wanted her to know that this trip was different than the previous, she wouldn’t have to worry about anyone else. He felt nervous, his hands a little clammy. He never felt nervous in his life. And even though he had the perfect ring, and he was quite sure she was going to say yes, asking a woman to marry him was a first. Funny, he thought, that he would experience all these firsts in his fifties. She sat on the couch in her living room, putting on some comfortable shoes. He looked at her from the kitchen, and knew he had to be quick if he was going to do this properly. He breathed in deep, walked up to her and dropped to his knee. “What are you doing, Phil?” “What do you think?” He took out the box out of his pocket. “I am asking you to marry me. I was going to do it in the Netherlands, but I decided I wanted you to be my fiancée before you left.” He looked at Rebecca, who was just nodding, her hand in front of her mouth, smiling. He opened the box, the ring had a large oddly coloured stone surrounded by diamonds. “It’s Asgardian. Thor got it for me. The stone in the middle will have the same colour as your eyes.” “You asked Thor to get me a ring? In Asgard, so you have known for about two and a half months you were going to propose?” “I’ve know ever since you decided to give me that second chance after the whole Audrey incident.” He slipped the ring on her finger and the gemstone turned a deep green. “It’s beautiful. Wow.” She kissed him. Phil felt relieved somehow.   
Twenty minutes later, in the car he saw Rebecca making a picture of the ring, sending it with her phone. “Let me guess, Pepper needs to know straight away.” “You don’t think I can keep this to myself, do you. After Matt I didn’t think this would happen again, and it happened, faster than I could have dreamed. With a better man than I could have dreamed.” Within five minutes Rebecca’s phone rang. “Is that what I think it is?” Pepper had a hard time containing her enthusiasm. “When did he ask you?” “Just now, you are the first one who knows.” “I am honoured, so when are we going dress shopping?” “After Phil and I set a date.” “Tony will be calling Phil this evening.” “I’ll tell him, going to hang up now.” She hung up. “Tony will call you this evening.” “Okay... why?” “Because he loves to tease you. I don’t know, maybe he wants to congratulate you.” Phil relaxed a bit.   
Phil dropped Rebecca off at the airport, he would be joining in a week. He would take the bus and even bring Lola. Phil kissed her goodbye as Rebecca checked in. When she disappeared behind security, he checked his watch and decided he had to hurry if he was going to be in time for his monthly dinner with his team.   
As he walked into the restaurant fifty minutes later, his whole team was already there. He sat down in the circular booth and ordered a beer from the waitress who was just bringing the rest their drinks. They ordered food, and Phil’s phone rang. It was Tony, as expected. “Sorry I have to take this.” He walked to the side, near the toilets and kitchen. “Hello Tony.” “Congratulations man. So she said yes.” Phil smiled. “She said yes.” “When is the big event taking place?” “It will be a small affair, I think, and we haven’t set a date yet.” “How about you get married in my penthouse, it’s big enough for a small affair, and it’s way more secure than some public venue. ” “I’ll talk about it with Rebecca, I have no idea what she wants. If she wants a big wedding, I will give her a big wedding. But Tony, I have to hang up, I´m having dinner with my team.” “Sure, Phil, we will talk to you later.” He hung up and turned around, only to see Daisy, her arms crossed, standing behind him. “Were you eavesdropping?” “No I went to the bathroom, but then I heard you talk about setting a date. When were you going to tell us?” “I hadn’t really thought about it, but I don’t mind telling tonight.” “Okay, just wait for me to come back. Congratulations by the way, I am happy for you.”  
He walked back to the table, nervously, he had no idea how he was going to make the announcement. He sat down, glad the first course was being served. He watched Daisy walking back. “Guys, I have to tell you something.” He grinned. “This afternoon, I asked Rebecca to marry me. She said yes. Not sure it was me or the Asgardian ring Thor got me, but there it is.” The team congratulated Phil, everyone seemed very happy for him, even Melinda. She had told him after the kidnapping that she had proved herself in her eyes. He received their well wishes happily. “So when are you going to tie the knot?” “I have no idea, we haven’t set a date, we haven’t talked about anything yet, but you guys will all get an invitation.” “You’d better invite us.” Leo said, his mouth half-full, “you don’t want a Scot to crash your wedding.” Phil laughed, thinking about how the shy Scot would crash a wedding. They talked some more about the upcoming nuptials. After the dinner had ended and Phil had paid for it using his Shield credit card, Mel came up to him, wanting to talk to him alone. “ I am happy for you, Phil. She has really proven herself the last eight months. I never thought you would be happy so soon after... you know.” “I know.” Phil turned into himself. “You know Mel, sometimes I think about Rosalind and about what would have happened if she hadn’t died. Would it have worked? How could we have ever made it work? It took everything we got to make it through last year. I nearly died, would Rosalind think about calling Jane? How would Rosalind have survived a kidnapping, would I have stayed with Rosalind instead of Audrey?” Mel just put her arms around Phil. “I know it’s been a tough year. But we are not going anywhere, and neither is she.”


	35. The family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rebecca's family hears about the engagement.

Chapter 35  
August 27th  
Schiphol Airport, near Amsterdam, around 10 am CET  
At the airport Rebecca waited for her luggage and exited the gate. She didn’t rent a car, because Phil would be bringing Lola with him in the bus. She scanned the welcoming people for her parents who were picking her up. They were holding a big sign, so she smiled and walked up to them, giving them a warm hug. Her father took her luggage and Rebecca showed them her ring. Her mother was astounded. “Already, you haven’t even moved in yet. Congratulations!” Her father mumbled his congratulations, he didn’t seem happy.   
In the car she asked him about it. “Are you still hung up about the age difference, dad?”  
“I would have liked to see you with someone more your age, maybe give you a chance of starting a family.”  
“If I wanted to have children, I would still be with Matt. I have never wanted to become a mother, I don’t want to have children and have them grow up with a nanny.”  
“I didn’t know you thought about it that way.”  
“How else would I think about it, if I let a nine year relationship break up over it.” She was turning angry a bit.   
“Let’s not fight about it.” Her mother said. “You are engaged now, you don’t want kids and that’s your right. So, you set a date yet?”  
“No, he asked me last night. I don’t know yet, we will talk about it when he gets here. Of course we will be flying you all over to New York, I am sure Tony and Pepper will be happy to have all of you in their guestrooms. By the way dad, you will love the car Phil will bring over with him. It’s a 1962 Chevrolet Corvette, dark red. Her name is Lola. She is really something special.”  
“Is he bringing his car?”   
“Of course he is, the even got local plates from the local shield division.”

Rebecca’s parents home around 6 pm  
That evening her brothers came over for dinner, the next day they would celebrate her mother’s birthday. Her sister-in-law Abigail spotted the ring immediately. “Do you have to tell us something?” Rebecca grinned and just nodded. “So we are not meeting your boyfriend, but your fiancé next week?” “Uhuh.” “Wow, who would have though two years ago when Matt dumped you, you would be engaged to the director of shield now.” Her brother gave her a big bear hug. “I am slightly disappointed it’s not Captain America, but I heard Phil is a bad-ass too. Are you inviting Captain America to the wedding?” “Uh, I guess. Also Tony/iron man and Thor.” “Awesome, I get to meet Captain America.” “You know the guy behind him is quite, uh, normal, don’t you.” “I don’t care.” He picked his sister up and swirled her around. “Congratulations, sis.” Her brother Jakob walked in on this scene and asked what he missed. Rebecca showed her ring to Jakob, and Annika, his wife. After they had congratulated her, Annika told the kids. “Your auntie Rebecca is getting married. Next week you get to meet your new uncle Phil.” “Uncle Phil, that will be another first for him.” “He doesn’t have nephews and nieces?” Jakob asked. “No he is an only child.” “How are we going to do it with the language barrier?” Annika wanted to know. “The kids don’t speak English. “Well, he is learning some Dutch, but well, it goes in small steps. He is kind of old, you know and Dutch is a difficult language to learn.”   
Last but not least Daniel and his wife Simone and kids came in. They noticed the celebratory mood straight away. Rebecca showed her ring and Simone, who had an eye for jewellery asked what the middle gem was. “It’s Asgardian, the gem changes colour with the eye colour of the wearer.” “He got you an Asgardian engagement ring, must have taken him some effort.” Daniel asked. “I don’t know, Thor is a friend of ours, he arranged it. Maybe this is the standard over there.” “Well it’s really beautiful.” “It is, isn’t it.”  
Margaret and Rebecca had cooked a really nice meal and all nine adults and five kids dug in. This time it was much different than the last time she spend with her parents. She wasn’t unsure of her relationship, she was, both physically and mentally, in good health and she was just plain happy.


	36. The family 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phil asks for Arnolds blessing and meets the family. Rebecca gets rid of the bracelet before moving in.

Chapter 36  
September 3rd   
Schiphol Airport. Around 9am  
Phil thanked Melinda for flying him over to Amsterdam, drove out Lola of the bus at a special private terminal, where two agents awaited him to get the local plates, dark blue and white for a classic car. He had to hand in his gun, due to the strict gun laws in the Netherlands. He drove the one and a half hour drive with the top off as it was a nice late-summer day. He was looking forward to see Rebecca again, but he was apprehensive about what her father would say. He never asked him for his permission or blessing, and as Phil was a gentleman he was the kind of man who valued such things. He had decided to ask her father to go on a drive with him, so they could talk in private.   
Rebecca’s parents home, around 10.15 am  
Rebecca had spend the week celebrating her mother’s birthday, but she also went shopping, Amsterdam might be smaller than New York, but some of her favourite shops were there and everything was much closer together. She had taken her mother, who kept trying to get her to enter wedding dress boutiques. She had told her mother that she was going dress shopping with Pepper after a date was set, but that she was welcome to come over for New York for it. Now she was waiting by a window with a view on the road for Phil, she knew it would be at least fifteen minutes before he could arrive, but she was unable to do anything. Her body was tingling. She tried reading a book, she tried watching TV, she tried to browse the internet, but she couldn’t keep her mind at any of those things. Every car that she heard driving into the street made her heart go a little bit faster. Finally she saw the cherry red of her favourite Chevrolet come around the corner. She got up, put on her shoes and ran toward the door, opened it and ran towards Lola and Phil as they drove up the driveway. Phil got out of his car, and hugged his fiancée. Rebecca´s parents were standing in the door opening, looking at how happy this man made their daughter for the first time. They had seen how she felt in the hospital and after, but she was beaming now.   
“Did you go shopping? I haven’t seen this dress before.”   
“Of course I went shopping, what else did you think I did the last week. My mom wanted me to go dress shopping, but I am not ready for that.”  
“We should talk about that, date, size, venue things like that.”  
“We got a whole week for that.”  
“I was thinking of taking your father for a drive. Talk about his worries, maybe his objections. Hopefully get his blessing.” Rebecca smiled and kissed him. “I think you will be okay, we talked about it. He had hoped for someone more my own age, so I could have a chance at starting a family.” “And your father doesn’t think you have that chance with me?” Rebecca looked at him. “Do you want a family? I know we never really talked about this.” “We will later, first let me greet your parents.” Phil walked do the driveway to greet Arnold and Margaret, who both greeted him warmly.   
Phil got his luggage out of the car and moved it to the guest room, he was kind of nervous, wanting to make a good impression on his future parents-in-law. The last time he saw them, in January, the stakes were a lot less high. He walked down the stairs and entered the huge open plan living room.   
“Arnold, would you like to take a drive in Lola this afternoon? Gives us a chance to talk in private.”  
“If Rebecca agrees, I wouldn’t mind.”  
“Sure dad, we have enough time together coming week.”  
“And maybe we could go to dinner tonight, the four of us?”  
“Well tonight we invited Rebecca’s brothers and their family to meet you and for Rebecca’s birthday tomorrow, but we could go out tomorrow.” Her mother said.   
“Wow, the full inquisition tonight then.”   
“Come on, I’m sure you lived through worse honey. I am sure you have made others live through worse than my brothers. And if they want to beat you up, I am sure you can handle them. None of them have any martial arts training.” Rebecca smirked at him. She walked up to him and whispered: “If you can win over my dad, my brothers will be easy. Jakob will only care if you treat me well, Jonathan will be won over by telling him you can introduce him to Steve, and Daniel, he is closest to your age, try to be friendly and he will be okay.” Phil nodded. “They are all just normal people. Like you are.” She told him, now in her normal voice “It’s not like me having dinner with your team for the first time. A superhero, two geniuses, a hot guy who fixes everything and well, Mel actually scared me a little bit, she is the most kick-ass woman on the western hemisphere. And she interrogated me and threatened to come after me if I broke your heart.”   
“One of his team members threatened you?”Her dad sounded concerned.   
“So did Natasha Romanova.”  
“Hey, Tony threatened to come after me in his suit if I would break your heart.” Margaret looked a bit curious. She was still sure Tony was a bad person, somewhere, deep down.  
“Yes, mom, you can say what you want about Tony, but he does care for me, in his own weird way.”   
“You know he offered his house for the wedding, if we wanted to keep it small, for security reasons.”  
“When did he do that, that’s so sweet. And I do want to keep it small, including your team and my family, fifty people, tops. About the same people who came to your party, plus my family.”  
“Okay, so we got size and venue, now all we need is a date.”  
“Let’s leave that for later, also, the date will not be the last decision you will have to make.”

Around 2 pm Phil and Arnold walked to the car.   
“So you wanted to talk.” Arnold said.  
“I have the feeling you have some concerns regarding to my relationship with Rebecca.”  
“I talked about it with her. I would have liked to have seen her with someone more her own age, so she could have a chance at starting a family. But she told me she doesn’t want that.”  
“She doesn’t. We haven’t really talked about it. But why wouldn’t she be able to start a family with me? Except for the fact that we wouldn’t just need a nanny but a complete security team.”  
“Would you really like broken nights and changing diapers? Carrying kids around? At your age.”  
“Well I have broken nights all the time in my line of work, I am quite fit for my age, I am quite fit for a man of any age. If that was what she wanted, I would be in on it. But it’s not what she wants.”  
“You say you are fit, but what about in ten years, or let’s say twenty. You might not be so fit and in shape then, she will still be active, you will be older and start to lacking things in the health department. You won’t be able to take her to dinner, or on holidays. She is an active woman, have you talked about that?”  
“No we haven’t, but to be honest, we will take it like it comes. We’ve been through a lot this year, with the coma and the kidnapping and the break and me almost dying. If we can handle that, we can handle anything life throws at us.”  
“You seem very sure. I just want my daughter to be happy.”  
“So do I, and if I had any inkling she would be better off without me, I would let her go. But I don’t, and if I were to break it off now, well Tony would kill me, literary. You know, I would really like your blessing, I am an old fashioned man, but with or without your blessing, I’m here to stay.”  
“I understand. One more question, are you able to provide for her?”  
“Well I think she is quite able to provide for herself. She makes a lot of money, a lot more than I do. But I have been working for Shield for over 30 years. I have a nice, albeit government income, a good pension and an apartment provided for by my employer. But to be honest, she doesn’t need it. I guess she is a millionaire, she makes around 500k a year, and she doesn’t spend a lot, she has been living for free since February, her only vices are shopping and she likes to travel business class. But if need be, I would be able to provide, no problem.”  
“I will think about giving you my blessing. Now tell me, where did you get this car.”  
“It was my father’s and I inherited it after he passed away. It has some special modifications. Is there some place we can drive no one can see us? We could fly for a bit, I doubt you would like to see the weapons systems.”  
Arnold showed him how to drive to a part of the country where there was hardly any traffic. Phil pressed a button and the car went into flying mode. Phil flew for about 2 miles and put the car down again.   
“Does she know your car flies?”  
“She knows, she hasn’t seen it in action, but the modifications came from Stark industries and Lola is pretty well known in our circles. So she knows.”  
“About your circle. Are you two the only normal people in it? Like not superheroes or supertrained or supersuits?”  
“I got some people in my team, but to be honest, they are both geniuses. Pepper is normal. The others are have superpowers, super training or supersuits. But I am also highly trained in martial arts, weapons use and strategy.”  
“So Rebecca is the only normal one.”  
“I wouldn’t call Rebecca normal, she is highly intelligent, a polyglot, she has real focus and I hear she is an excellent manager. If I could I would recruit her to Shield, especially now she has inside knowledge of Asgard and its language, but she doesn’t want to work for me.”  
“I can imagine she would want to keep her personal and work life separate.”   
“One of the best things about us that we don’t need to keep it separate. We can talk about our jobs without having to think about security clearance and things being classified all the time. That’s good. I don’t have to worry about talking in my sleep.”  
“It’s good to have a partner who you can talk about your work with.”   
As they drove back to the house Arnold could not help but ask.   
“How did you lose your hand? If you don’t mind me asking.”  
“I don’t mind you asking, but unfortunately it’s classified. Let’s just say it was to save my life.”  
“Seems like a whole lot of that going on.”  
“Seems like that.” Phil smirked at his passenger.   
When they arrived home Arnold asked his daughter to come up to his study to talk.   
“Is this what you want, Rebecca, who you want? He asked for my blessing and he seems like a nice man who loves you and all, but is it what you want?”  
“Dad, this is what I want. I want this man who makes me laugh, who will send Pepper over if I am sad and can’t talk to him about it. I want the man who can outfight my three brothers with one hand tied behind his back, but will never start a fight himself. He treats me like a little princess and isn’t afraid of my job, my income or my ambition. I can talk to him about my job, about my friends who might be a little different, because he has friends who are different too. I like the way the little hairs on the back of my neck stand up when he kisses me. Yes, dad, this is what I want. And I want you give me away. ”  
“I know enough. Can you send him up here?”  
She walked down the stairs, walked up to Phil was sitting in the living room leafing a Dutch magazine.  
“He wants to see you.”  
Phil got up and made his way to Arnolds study.   
“You wanted to see me?”  
“I have talked to my daughter. She really wants this, so you can have my blessing. But if you hurt her...”  
“You don’t have to worry about that, Arnold, I would never hurt her. Not again anyway.”  
“She was a wreck those two weeks, Phil, she wasn’t feeling herself and you made it worse.”  
“I know, I still blame myself for it, for the kidnapping and what happened with Audrey. Tony was ready to come after me, in his suit.”  
“Now you go tell her, and tell her to help her mom set the table, her brothers will arrive in about 30 minutes.” Phil left the study with a wide smile on his face. As he walked into the living room he just nodded to Rebecca. “Really?” She asked. “Yes. I think something you said changed his mind. Or maybe something I said and something you said.” She walked up to him and put his arms around his neck. “So we are really going to do this then? Get married? Wow.”   
The backdoor opened and Jonathan and Abigail walked in on the intimate scene taking place in the open plan living room.   
“So this is the lucky guy, huh.” Jonathan had said it in Dutch. They both turned their heads toward her brother and his wife.   
“Yes, I am.” Phil replied in English. “Hey, I really practiced understanding your language. Don’t ask me to speak it yet, though.” He walked up toward the big man with his hand out, but Jonathan wouldn’t have it and took the man in one of his big bear hugs. Then he hugged his sister. Abigail just shook hands with Phil and hugged Rebecca.   
“Are all your brothers this big?”  
“This one is the biggest. But they are all taller than you, I must admit.”  
They started talking and before they knew it the house had filled up with people, who all wanted to meet this new man in Rebecca’s life, on the day before her 36th birthday. They had all brought her gifts and while Phil was talking to Daniel and Jakob, Rebecca talked to her niece. She had brought all her nephews and nieces little gifts from New York. When she had given the gift to her niece she walked up to Annika and asked her to come up with her to the guest room.   
“I have something for Rachel. To be given to her on her 18th birthday. I don’t want it anymore, as it symbolises things the past and I just want to move forward from it, with Phil.” She gave her a little box. As Annika opened it and saw the white gold and diamond bracelet, she put her hand in front of her mouth. “I can’t accept this. It’s just too much.” “It was a gift and I don’t want it anymore. I don’t expect to have children myself, so I am giving this to my oldest niece. On one condition. If she ever thinks of selling it for the money she just has to call me. I will give her the money she needs, she can’t sell it.” “Who is T?” “Tony Stark.” “I think I understand. Now you are starting a future with Phil, you don’t want any souvenirs of exes around anymore. Why didn’t you give it away when you got together with Matt?”   
“Maybe I didn’t feel for Matt what I feel for Phil, I don’t know, it didn’t feel as important as it does now.”  
“So this is it, huh...”  
“Yes, it is.” The women hugged. “Let’s go downstairs. Please only tell Jakob about the bracelet. I wouldn’t want anyone else to get jealous.”  
“I understand. I’ll slip it in my purse and show it to him when the kids have gone to bed.”  
As the returned downstairs Phil asked Rebecca where they’d been. She whispered: “Do you remember the bracelet?” Phil tensed up. “Of course.” “I didn’t want to bring it in your home. So it is now Rachel’s. To be given to her upon her 18th birthday.” “Thank you. That is really thoughtful of you.” Phil nuzzled her neck in a show of affection.   
They had dinner with all 15 of them. Phil was surprised at the level of English of this family. He had thought Rebecca’s English was so good because she had lived in the US for years, but all these people spoke English pretty well. And most of them also spoke a third, fourth or even fifth language. He felt slightly embarrassed being only bilingual. He was also surprised at the joie de vivre these people showed. The food was excellent, the wine flowed freely, he had always thought people from the north west of Europe were frugal and moderate, but these people seemed to celebrate life, love, being a family and being together. It had been a long time since he had gone and met the family of a partner, and the first time he had gone and met them as her fiancé. Another first, he thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am almost done with this one... somehow hard to finish it, because I have so many other ideas.


	37. A week at home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rebecca and Phil spend a week at her parents and get back on the bus.

Chapter 37  
A week at home  
He woke up next to her in the guestroom of her parents house. It was her birthday. He snuck out of bed and started to search through his luggage. Soon he found what he was looking for. It was a small box in green paper with a white ribbon. He woke her up with a kiss on her lips. “Hey sleeping beauty. Happy birthday.” She woke, smiling, looking him in the eyes. “I got you a gift.” She saw the paper and knew where he got the gift. “You shouldn’t have.” She opened the box and found a beautiful vintage diamond Tiffany & co watch. “I can’t accept this. It must have cost you a fortune.” “Of course you can accept it. And yes it wasn’t cheap, but I do have my ways of obtaining things, especially vintage items.” She smiled, put out her wrist and let Phil put the watch on it. “It’s beautiful. It’s really perfect, so feminine and classy. I really need to show my mom. She got out of bed, put her arms around Phil and kissed him. “Thank you, I really love it. When we are back in New York I am going to show you how much I love it.”   
They celebrated her birthday by going out for a drive in Lola, afterwards Phil took her and her parents out for dinner in a nice restaurant. Her mother had loved the watch and even her father approved of the gift. The four of them had a nice dinner.   
The rest of the week they spend seeing the major sites. Amsterdam, Rotterdam harbour, The Hague, The Veluwe national park, the works. They enjoyed each other’s company, did some shopping and Rebecca even bought Phil a new suit. Before they knew it their week was over and they drove Lola toward Schiphol to get back on the bus. The parked the car in the bus, Rebecca got out and walked over toward the cockpit to greet Mel. Mel was standing in the cockpit, doing some last minute checks and looked up at the people entering. Rebecca was happy to see her and gave her a hug, just because. Mel awkwardly received the hug. “Hi Mel.” “Hi Rebecca, I heard I have to congratulate you.” “Thank you, Mel, it means a lot coming from you. I know you would have said so if you weren’t sure this was a good thing for Phil.” Rebecca tried to hug the poor woman again, but Mel put up her hands in an averting gesture. “I’ll let you talk for a bit, can you point me to the kitchen? I could use some coffee.” Mel told her where to go and Phil sat down in the seat next to his best friend. “So, how was the family?” She asked. “Surprising.” Phil answered. “Friendly, intelligent. I even got her father’s blessing. Had not expected that.” Mel just hummed uhuh as she started her last pre flight checks. They talked for a while, about his experiences in the last week, about her family members. “Why don’t you go and see her in the kitchen. You know I prefer to fly alone.”   
He found her drinking coffee in his quarters. “This is quite comfortable I must say, Honey.” “Well, we do spend a lot of time here.” “There is still something we haven’t talked about last week.” “Oh?” “When I told you that my father wanted me to have a chance at a family, you asked if I wouldn’t have that chance with you. Do you want kids?” “I haven’t thought about that for a long time. I have given up a lot for the greater good and I’m good with that. When you choose this life, you forgo the other one. But you know, if that’s what you wanted, I would be in on it. But I know it’s not what you want. And I’m good with that. We wouldn’t just need a nanny, but a complete security detail for the baby.”  
Rebecca sighed in relief. She was kind of relieved that he didn’t want to become a father. She didn’t want another engagement to end over it. “Good.” She put her arms around him. “So, are you going to show me how much you love your birthday gift?” Phil smirked at her. “Are you hoping to become a member of the mile high club, director?” “No, just hoping to renew my membership.” His smirk got a little bigger. “Oh, tell me, who, when?” “It’s classified.” His smirk was now a full on bright smile. He picked her up from the couch and carried her to his sleeping pod. It was a single bed, as the plane needed to be efficient with its space.   
Phil found his membership renewal a far more pleasurable experience than his induction, which happened in his twenties with a fellow junior agent on the toilet of a plane to he really can’t remember where. Rebecca is sleeping while he is spooning her. He wipes her hair from her face and watches her sleep for a while, before falling asleep himself.


	38. Shit hits the fan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What the title says.

38   
November 3rd  
It was a rainy November afternoon when shit hit the fan. Phil had been working in his office in the playground, when the alarm went off. He took off his jacket, put on his bulletproof vest and rolled up his sleeves. He took an extra gun out of the safe, some extra cartridges and his beautiful blaster.   
Mel ran in “The perimeter is breached. Hydra have found us.”  
“Let’s go.”  
“You should get yourself in safety. We need you alive. I will help you get to the bus and fly you to your safe house, you need to get into hiding.”  
“But I can’t leave you guys defending the playground alone. I’m staying.”  
“No you are not. The security teams can handle the intruders.”  
“Do we have burners in the bus, I need to put Rebecca’s evacuation into action. She is at risk too.”  
“We have resupplied the burners three days ago, should be good.”  
They fought their way through the attackers, well trained men who knew what they were doing. Phil shot some groups with his blaster. They flew back. Two security teams were giving them cover, while Mel was trying to get Phil to the bus.   
Mel shot two agents and kicked a third one to the ground, while they were running into the bus. Mel ran toward the cockpit, Phil closed the loading doors, shooting at some pursuers. The plane started moving forward out of the hangar, and before Phil knew it they were flying. He walked toward his office, opened the safe and took out a burner. He send one text  
[Sigma]  
Rebecca received her text, put away the report she was reading, picked up her phone and called Tony.   
“Sigma.”  
“I know enough, I will call the avengers. I take it you will go into hiding?”  
“Yes. I will be out of contact from now.”   
She hung up, took out the simcard from her phone and cut through it. She left the phone and the pieces of her simcard on her desk. She went online to an online vault where she retrieved a couple of e-tickets and itinerary on the name of Helena Smith. Out of the vault in her office she took out a stack of money in different currencies and a Canadian passport. A small suitcase and a purse that contained everything she needed but had everything on her new name in it, came out of her closet. She left her old purse at the office.   
She took the lift to the ground floor, walked out of the building and hailed a taxi which took her to Newark airport. She checked in on her first of five flights, with only hand luggage. She was taking five flights to get rid of any pursuers.


	39. Cabo Polonio

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phil reaches his safehouse, Rebecca travels from Reykjavik to Johannesburg.

Chapter 39   
November 4th  
Phil and Mel arrived in Montevideo, Uruguay 11 hours later. Phil thanked Mel and took a taxi to a local storage unit he had rented months ago when he set his safe house up. Inside was a inconspicuous 4x4 car, and a vault with a passport saying he was Pablo Jimenez. There was some money, both dollars and Uruguayan Pesos. He took another box that contained keys and some other personal effects from Pablo Jimenez. Also he took five more burner phones and a satellite internet modem, with which he could go on the internet from his safe house without being traced. He went to a supermarket where he bought provisions and a cooler.   
He drove for around 4 hours to a little hamlet called Cabo Polonio, where he had bought a small beach house to be his safe house. It had a small open plan living room with kitchen, a small bathroom which worked on rainwater and a bedroom. There was a porch with an old wicker lounge set and a barbecue.   
He got out of his car and was greeted by his neighbour, a friendly Australian who had retired here named Russell. Phil had made a deal with him that if he would come there unexpectedly, Russell would pick up his fiancée Helena three days later. Russell didn’t ask why. He might have suspected something, but he didn’t seem to care.   
“So when will your fiancée arrive in Montevideo?”  
“Three days from now, around 11 am.”  
“Still a redhead?”  
“Still a redhead.”  
“Still arriving from Tonga in a private plane?”  
“As far as I know.”  
“I’ll make sure I’m there, you need me to bring you anything else from Montevideo? Was thinking about doing a Barbie that day to welcome the both of you.”  
“Let me give you money for the food you buy for that Barbie. And for fuel.” Phil smiled. “Helena is a queen in the kitchen by the way, you should come over for dinner after she arrived.”  
“Would love that, Pablo.”  
Phil went inside and put his stuff away. The burner phones and satellite modem disappeared under some loose floorboards. He had bought suitable clothing for him and Rebecca when he had set up the safe house and changed into kaki’s and blue button down shirt. Now he just had to wait. First for Rebecca to show up, later for Maria to show up if the troubles had died down. She was the only one who knew where the safe house was located. For a moment he felt a weird tingle. If Maria would not make it, it would mean he and Rebecca would have to live their lives in this hamlet on the Uruguayan coast. He knew he could get used to it. He wasn’t sure Rebecca could though. He started daydreaming a bit. She could start a little restaurant on the beach, maybe she would even change her mind about motherhood. He could see himself running after some kids and smiled. He knew he would be too old to run after children if it ever got to that, but didn’t matter. Maria would show up and probably sooner than later, maybe even before they even felt they had a proper holiday. 

Plane somewhere over Africa.   
Rebecca was taking her second flight from Reykjavik to Johannesburg. She was flying first class, because that meant she could hide in first class lounges and there were a lot less people travelling in her compartment. She had bought a hat at Newark. She had also thought about dying her hair, but decided against it. She knew Phil wouldn’t be there to pick her up, but a friend of his, and he probably was looking for someone with her red hair. She had changed in some more comfortable travel gear, but she didn’t like having to sleep in her clothes. She was tired, didn’t have more than little naps, always on guard, checking whether she was followed. Three more days, three more flight, the last one being a private one flown by a friend from high school she knew she could trust implicitly. She didn’t know how Phil had arranged it, but he had, that the guy would take off from work as an intercontinental pilot for Cathay Pacific to fly her from Tonga to Montevideo. She hadn’t seen the man for over 15 years, but he had said yes when Phil asked him to do this. It might have been the crush he had on her in their teen years.


	40. Cabo Polonio 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rebecca arrives in Uruguay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, i am posting the last chapters... I have almost finished...

Chapter 40  
November 7th, Montevideo airport  
Russell was standing at the private terminal at the Montevideo airport. He was expecting a woman Phil’s age, maybe a few years younger. He wasn’t expecting the woman coming out of the plane. She was wearing comfortable travel clothes and a hat, but her red hair waved underneath it. He guessed this must be her, this Helena.   
“Are you Russell?” She asked.  
“I am, you must be Helena.”  
“I am.”  
“I must say you are not what I expected.”  
“What were you expecting?”  
“Someone a bit older. How did Pablo land a woman like you?”  
Rebecca smiled.   
“Sometimes I wonder how I landed a man like him.”  
Russell just laughed. “Let’s go to the market, do some shopping, we are having a welcome in Cabo Polonio Barbie tonight.”  
“Can we stop at a pharmacy, I need some toiletries.”  
“Sure, no problem.”  
They went to a market to buy meat and vegetables and to a pharmacy where Rebecca bought hair die in a soft brown colour and some other things she might need. They drove for four hours. Talking a bit, but Rebecca kept the conversation at the surface, she didn’t know to what extent she could trust this man.   
Driving into the hamlet, Rebecca got a bit nervous. She really wanted to see Phil. She saw all the little beach houses and the beach. She liked the place, as a holiday destination, not as a residence. Russell drove to a small beach house. On the porch she saw Phil pacing.   
She couldn’t get out of the car fast enough. She ran toward the porch, relieved that she finally arrived at the safe house. She was safe and she was with Phil. He put his arms around her, and she finally relaxed.   
“I am so glad you made it.”  
“So am I. I don’t know what is going on, but I do know Tony called in the team.”  
“That’s good. Shield can use the help of the Avengers. So how do you like our new temporary abode.”  
“It’s literary the end of the world isn’t it?”  
“That’s what I liked about it. Let me show you around. I even got you some appropriate clothing.”  
There wasn’t much to show her. In the bedroom she suddenly felt tired. “You know Phil, I am going to take a shower and take a nap, maybe you can join me? Just hold me, I am so tired.”  
“Sure, no problem, you jump in the shower, after that we will take a nap together. And after that we will walk around the village together. The hostel actually has a small travellers library, maybe you can get a book to read there. And the beach is amazing of course.”  
“Oh, don’t worry about me keeping busy. She grabbed a book from her suitcase. Spanish for dummies. “I always enjoy learning a new language.”  
After they took a nap together, well, Rebecca took a nap, Phil just lied next to her, holding her, watching her sleep, being very relieved that she made it to the safe house, they walked hand in hand over the beach. Rebecca had changed into a white linen dress, they were both barefoot.  
“You found a little paradise here. It’s so quiet, so little people, so far away from everything.”  
“That’s why I chose it. Few people, end of the world, but on the other hand it could just be a holiday destination and we could just be a couple on holiday.”  
“Too bad it’s a bit too cold for that pretty little bikini I got in my suitcase.”  
“Well, it depends on how long we are stuck here. In January you can easily take it out.”  
“I hope to be back in New York by then.”  
“So do I.” He put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her a bit closer.   
“Let’s walk to Russell’s. I am sure he has cold beer. He is one of the few people here with his own generator. We got one too of course, but I would like to only use it if necessary.”  
“He is a nice guy, and I could use a cold beer.”


	41. Maria Hill

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maria Hill comes to end the vacation.

Chapter 41  
November 21st   
They had spend two weeks on the beach, enjoying each other’s company, reading, eating, sleeping, having sex, it was almost like a vacation. The weather was getting warmer and warmer and Rebecca had even gotten her pretty little bikini out. She hadn’t had a vacation like this in years. They were sitting on the old wicker lounge set, reading, Rebecca’s head on Phil’s lap. She heard someone coming the way of their beach house. She looked up from her book and said: “Vacation is over.” She got up and smiled at the beautiful brunette walking up their path.   
“Hello Maria, you come to tell us our vacation is over?” Phil said.  
“You got a great set-up here, Phil. I am almost jealous. And yes, your vacation is over.”  
“Why don’t you come in Maria?” Rebecca asked, “Can I get you something to drink? I have a pitcher of Mojito’s in the cooler.”  
“Well, I am to ask you to pack up your stuff and come back with me straight away.”  
“Well, you could drink a mojito while we pack.” Rebecca told Maria.   
“Okay. One mojito.” Rebecca poured the drink, while Phil started to pack their things. It wasn’t much he was taking, most of it was staying here, for the next time they would need it.  
In the car on the way back to the airport, Phil asked Maria for a debrief, Maria’s car was driven back to the airport by a trusted agent.   
“Tony contacted me about ten minutes after you left and told me he called in the team. I was surprised he already knew.”  
“I told him, someone had to know why I disappeared.”  
“Thank you for that, the Avengers were a real help. Within a couple of hours the playground was cleared. After that we had to make sure everything was safe for your return. You can read everything in the report.”   
“Thank you Maria.”   
As they drove to Montevideo Phil and Maria talked about the situation, while Rebecca looked outside. She was happy she could go back to her life in New York, go back to their apartment. Everyone must be really worried. She hoped her parents had called Tony and he had been able to reassure them at least a bit. But she was also a bit sad her vacation was already over. The beach house had grown on her, and taking a vacation that wasn’t about seeing her family was something she hadn’t done in a long time.   
Arriving at the airport they found the bus and Rebecca just walked to the cockpit to greet Mel. She just wanted to thank the woman for helping her fiancé out of a Hydra attack. This time Mel responded to the hug, but Rebecca guessed it was only because she wanted to have it end quickly. After thanking the Cavalry again she went back to the lounge area and made coffee. It would be a long flight and she would need it. Sure she would be able to get some sleep in Phil´s sleep-pod, but that would not be nearly enough. So coffee it was. Maria walked in about ten minutes later.   
“Coffee?” She asked the brunette.   
“Yes, please.”  
“Phil’s talking to Mel?”  
“Yes. Doesn’t their relationship make you insecure sometimes?”  
“No, if Phil wanted to be with her, he would be. I have made it quite clear that he only should be with me if he wants to, I am not a woman you settle for.”  
“Okay.”  
“I must say I am really happy she accepts me.”  
“I can imagine.”  
“So enough about us, how is your love-life doing?”  
“I don’t have time for that.”  
“Of course you do. I have this really cute guy working at R&D. I could set you up. He is nice, smart and has a behind that is a sexual harassment complaint waiting to happen.”  
“Who has a behind like that?” Phil came walking in.   
“You do, but I was talking about Dave from my department. I was thinking of setting him up with Maria.”  
“That would be a good idea, Maria, have you had sex since your friend with benefits Brock turned out to be Hydra?”  
“Talking about a sexual harassment complaint waiting to happen.” Maria said. “My boss and his fiancé shouldn’t be talking to me about this stuff. Also how did you know about Brock?”  
“It’s my job to know, Maria. And I apologize if I made you feel uncomfortable.”  
“That’s alright.”  
“So how about you come over for a tour next week Maria and I introduce the two of you. She if there is a connection.”  
“You really have to take this tour Maria, it’s important for your work at Shield.”  
Maria threw her hands in the air in defeat. “Okay, I will come for the tour, but no guarantees.”   
“Great!”


	42. Home again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phil and Rebecca come home again.

Chapter 42  
November 22nd  
The first thing Rebecca did when they touched ground was call her parents. They had indeed contacted Tony and understood she had gone into hiding. They were happy she was back in New York. Rebecca promised she would skype them on their usual time.   
Next she called Pepper to tell her that she would be back to work the next day.   
“Did you have a nice vacation?” She asked.  
“It kind of felt like it. It was completely at the end of the world, summer was starting and except for being found we didn’t have a care in the world.”   
“I am glad you are coming back to work. Files are piling up.”  
“I promise you I will be less absent next year.”  
“Don’t worry about it. Also you will have to go on a honeymoon next year. Talking about that. Have the two of you set a date yet.”  
“No, but I think we will soon. I am not in a hurry, though. I just want to enjoy living together for a bit, letting our lives calm down. Christmas is coming.”  
“You flying out?”  
“Nah, I think I have a lot of work to catch up on. Can’t really afford to miss more work, I can feel a mutiny coming around.”  
“I wouldn’t worry about it. Everyone understand that sometimes you just have one of those years.”  
“To be honest, despite everything that happened, it has been the best year of my life.”  
When they finally arrived at their apartment Rebecca felt unbelievable relieved. She ran around the apartment touching things.   
“You know, I loved our little hideaway, but I am so happy to be back. This place smells just right. We have hot water, that isn’t rain water and I don’t have to put the generator on before a shower. We have wifi. And I like our bed, and our couch. Oh and I love this kitchen. And my books. I thought I would never see them again.   
Phil smiled when he saw her move across their place, her movements almost like a dance.  
“I was wondering, now we’re back, how about setting a date.” Rebecca smiled at him. She had expected him to start this conversation.  
“I’m not in a hurry. I just like being engaged, living together. But anything you want.” She grabbed a bottle of wine out of the fridge. She picked up to glasses from a cupboard and moved to the couch. “How about June?”


	43. Christmas eve again.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Christmas eve again...

Chapter 43  
December 24th Rebecca’s office.   
“No, no more wedding talk. I don’t want to know about floral arrangements or table settings.” Rebecca sounded adamant. She was sitting behind her desk in the R&D department. Pepper was sitting on the edge of the desk.   
“Just look at the different floral arrangements tonight. Just tell me which one you like best. And ask Phil which one he likes best.”  
Pepper had almost taken over the wedding preparations. The wedding was going to be held at her and Tony’s place, so it was kind of expected, but Rebecca was a bit tired of it.   
“You are my maid of honour, you are already arranging most of it, can’t you just leave it alone one night?”   
“Of course not. And tonight it’s a year ago the two of you met. Kind of romantic.”  
Rebecca smiled. “You know what. I am going home now, getting changed for tonight. Phil will probably need some help with his bowtie.”  
“Go home, quickly, see you around seven.”  
A couple of hours later, Tony Starks place.   
This year Phil had not come to the charity event reluctantly. Rebecca had tied his bowtie and there was no part of him that preferred to be at work or wallow with alcohol. He sat down at his assigned table, this time they sat with Tony and Pepper, in the corner of his eyes he saw Pepper and Rebecca. Rebecca was wearing a beautiful lace vintage soft pink evening dress and he couldn’t believe his luck. 2016 had been quite the ride, but this was it. She was it.

The end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I have finished this one. Thanks for reading!


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